UNIT 1:

MEETING SALVADORAN
PERSONALITIES

CONTENT ONE
Present Perfect VS Simple Past
Reading David Escobar Galindo was born in Santa Ana on
October 4, 1943. He is considered one of the most
productive contemporary poets and novelists in El
Salvador. His poems, short stories and articles were
published every week by the major newspapers in the
country. His column, “Astillas de Cortés Blanco,” has
appeared in the editorial page of La Prensa Gráfica
since
1981. He founded José Matías Delgado University and
from 1990 to 1992 was a member of the government
commission that negotiated the peace process ending
the civil war in El Salvador.

Some of his published works include:

“Cornamusa”(1975), “El Libro de Lilian”(1976),
“Sonetos Penitenciales”(1980), “Oración en la
Guerra”(1989), “Árbol sin Tregua”(1996), “El Venado y
el Colibrí”(1996) and “Una Grieta en el Agua”(1972).
Present Perfect (review)
The present perfect tense refers to an action or state that either occurred at
an indefinite time in the past (e.g., we have talked before) or began in the
past and continued to the present time (e.g., he has grown impatient over the
last hour). This tense is formed by have/has + the past participle.

The construction of this verb tense is straightforward. The first element is

have or has, depending on the subject the verb is conjugated with. The
second element is the past participle of the verb, which is usually formed by
adding -ed or -d to the verb’s root (e.g., walked, cleaned, typed,
perambulated, jumped, laughed, sautéed) although English does have quite
a few verbs that have irregular past participles (e.g., done, said, gone,
known, won, thought, felt, eaten).
These examples show how the present perfect can describe something
that occurred or was the state of things at an unspecified time in the
past.
Examples:
I have walked on this path before. (Correct)
We have eaten the lasagna here. (Correct)

Keep in mind that you can’t use the present perfect when you are being
specific about when the action happens.
Example:
I have put away all the laundry. (Correct)
I have put away all the laundry at 10:00 this morning. (Incorrect)

You can use the present perfect to talk about the duration of something
that started in the past is still happening.
She has had the chickenpox since Tuesday. (Correct)
 What's the difference? Present Perfect and Past Simple
Present Perfect Simple Past Simple
Unfinished actions that started in the past
Finished actions:
and continue to the present:
 I knew Julie for ten years (but then
 I've known Julie for ten years (and I
she moved away and we lost touch).
still know her).

A finished action in someone's life (when A finished action in someone's life (when
the person is still alive: life experience): the person is dead):
 My brother has been to Mexico three  My great-grandmother went to Mexico
times. three times.

A finished action with no result in the

A finished action with a result in the
present:
present:
 I lost my keys yesterday. It was
 I've lost my keys! (The result is that I
terrible! (Now there is no result. I got
can't get into my house now).
new keys yesterday).

With an unfinished time word (this week, With a finished time word (last week, last
this month, today): month, yesterday):
 I've seen John this week.  I saw John last week.
 When should I use the Present Perfect Simple Tense
We use this tense for unfinished and finished actions.
Unfinished Actions
1: We use this tense when we want to talk about unfinished
actions or states or habits that started in the past and
continue to the present. Usually we use it to say 'how long'
and we need 'since' or 'for'. We often use stative verbs.
I've known Karen since 1994.

She's lived in London for three years.

I've worked here for six months.

'Since' and 'For'
We use 'since' with a fixed time in the past (2004, April 23rd, last year).
The fixed time can be another action, which is in the past simple (since I
was at school, since I arrived).
I've known Sam since 1992.

I've liked chocolate since I was a child.

She's been here since 2pm.

We use 'for' with a period of time (2 hours, three years, six months).
I've known Julie for ten years.

I've been hungry for hours.

She's had a cold for a week.

Finished Actions
2: Life experience. These are actions or events that happened sometime
during a person's life. We don't say when the experience happened, and the
person needs to be alive now. We often use the words 'ever' and 'never'
here.
I have been to Tokyo.

They have visited Paris three times.

We have never seen that film.

3: With an unfinished time word (this month, this week, today). The period of
time is still continuing.
I haven't seen her this month.

She's drunk three cups of coffee today.

I've already moved house twice this year!

We CAN'T use the present perfect with a finished time word.
NOT: I've seen him yesterday.

4: A finished action with a result in the present (focus on result). We often use
the present perfect to talk about something that happened in the recent past,
but that is still true or important now. Sometimes we can use the past simple
here, especially in US English.
I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my house).

She's hurt her leg (so she can't play tennis today).

They've missed the bus (so they will be late).

5: We can also use the present perfect to talk about something that
happened recently, even if there isn't a clear result in the present. This is
common when we want to introduce news and we often use the words 'just /
yet / already / recently'. However, the past simple is also correct in these
cases, especially in US English.
The Queen has given a speech.

I've just seen Lucy.

The Mayor has announced a new plan for the railways.

 Using the past simple
This is the basic past tense. We use it whenever we want to talk about
the past and we don't have any special situation that means we should
use the past perfect, present perfect or past continuous.
Finished actions, states or habits in the past.
1: We use it with finished actions, states or habits in the past when we
have a finished time word (yesterday, last week, at 2 o'clock, in 2003).
I went to the cinema yesterday.

We spent a lot of time in Japan in 2007.

2: We use it with finished actions, states or habits in the past when we

know from general knowledge that the time period has finished. This
includes when the person we are talking about is dead.
Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa.

The Vikings invaded Britain.

3: We use it with finished actions, states or habits in the past that we
have introduced with the present perfect or another tense. This is
sometimes called 'details of news'.
I've hurt my leg. I fell off a ladder when I was painting my bedroom.

I've been on holiday. I went to Spain and Portugal.

4: For stories or lists of events, we often use the past simple for the
actions in the story and the past continuous for the background.
He went to a café. People were chatting and music was playing. He

sat down and ordered a coffee.

 Unreal or imaginary things in the present or future.

5: We use the past simple to talk about things that are not real in
the present or future. So we use it with the second conditional
and after words like 'wish'.
If I won the lottery, I would buy a house.
I wish I had more time!
Change the verb into the correct form of the past
simple or present perfect
1) Last night I ______________
Lost (lose) my keys - I had to call my flatmate
to let me in.
2) I _______________
‘ve lost (lose) my keys - can you help me look for them?
3) I _______________
‘ve visited (visit) Paris three times.
4) Last year I _______________
visited (visit) Paris.
5) I _______________
knew (know) my great grandmother for a few years - she
died when I was eight.
6) I _______________
‘ve known (know) Julie for three years - we still meet once a
month.
7) I _______________
‘ve played (play) Hockey since I was a child - I'm pretty good!
8) She ______________
played (play) hockey at school but she didn't like it.
9) Sorry, I _____________
‘ve missed (miss) the bus - I'm going to be late.
10) I ________________
Missed (miss) the bus and then I __________
Missed (miss) the
aeroplane as well!
Change the verb into the correct form of the past
simple or present perfect

11) Last month I ___________(go)

Went to Scotland.
12) I'm sorry, John isn't here now. He ____________ ‘s gone (go) to the shops.
13) We _____________(finish)
finished this room last week.
14) I ______________
‘ve finished (finish) my exams finally - I'm so happy!
15) Yesterday, I ________________
saw (see) all of my friends. It was great.
16) I ________________
‘ve seen (see) Julie three times this week.
17) She _______________
‘s lived (live) in London since 1994.
18) She _______________
Lived (live) in London when she was a child.
19) I __________________
‘ve drunk (drink) three cups of coffee today.
20) I __________________
drank (drink) three cups of coffee yesterday.
HOMEWORK