Past vs Present Perfect

• Past simple • Present perfect

• Past action, finished • Past action

• There is NO connection to • There is a connection to present
present
 Action continues in present
• I lived in Paris for 2 years • I have lived in Paris for 2 years
• I don’t live in Paris now. • I still live in Paris now
• No connection to the present • Past connected to the present
• I finished this • I still do this
 Definite time in past
• I visited London in 2018 • I have visited London 3 times
• Past action • Past action
• Say exactly when (2018) • Don’t say when (ever)
• 2018 is finished • ‘Ever’ still coninues
 Action still affects present
• I broke my arm • I have broken my arm
• Past action • Past action
• No connection to present • Still affects present
• My arm is fixed now, finished • My arm is still painful, continues
 Time period is still in present
• I ate breakfast this morning • I have eaten breakfast this
• This morning is ‘past’ morning
• It is the afternoon • This morning is still present
• The morning is finished • It is the morning
• The morning still continues
Present perfect simple or Continuous
• Simple • Continuous

• Happened 1 time • Happened repeatedly

• Focus on result - Say ‘how many’ • Focus on time – Say ‘how long’
 Example
He has stolen money from the company
He has been stealing money from the company

She has run 25km

She has been running for an hour