Past Simple & Present Perfect | Good Together

Wayne: Have you been to many countries, Gavin?

Gavin: Yes I have. I went to Italy and Morocco last year. How about you?

Wayne: Not really. I've been to the United States several times on business, though.

Gavin: My brother drove down to Vermont two months ago, but I have never travelled in the US.

The dialogue above is an example of how we use the present perfect and the past simple. Today's post will explain how they work together. 

Let's look at the infographics below.

The past simple is for completed actions/events in the past. We use the past tense of verbs (watched, bought, was/were, did, played, etc). We use specific time expressions like last year, yesterday, (10) months ago, etc. 

My brother and I went to upstate New York last weekend.

The Basics

The present perfect uses:

have/has + past participle

Laetitia has played tennis for many years.

I have worked here since 2015.

The present perfect is for:

* recent past events/actions that have been completed BUT we're don't specify the time

• I've done my homework already.

* for a period of time that hasn't finished yet,

• We've lived in Ottawa for twenty-years. 
• We've lived in Ottawa since 1999.

* repeated actions between the past and now,

• Our department has completed three big projects this month (the month isn't over yet)

Remember:

FOR + a period of time.

• for several years, for a few minutes, for twenty years, for a long time, for ages

(note: for can be used in other tenses)

SINCE + a specific point in time.

• since 1987, since I was a boy, since high school, since my teens, since we last met, 

(note: since can only be used in perfect tenses (present & past)


I've always liked visuals, so you can also study this infographic from TEEJR.

Be careful with GONE vs BEEN.

HAVE YOU...? vs HAVE YOU EVER...?

Have you ever tried suishi? = In your lifetime, have you tried sushi?

Have you seen Avengers: Endgame? = Have you seen Avengers: Endgame recently? 

Exercises

Present Perfect vs Past Simple | Exam English


Complete the passages with the PRESENT PERFECT or PAST SIMPLE

I ___________ (go) to Saipan once. My friends and I ___________ (go) there in May 2002. It ____(be) a short holiday, so I ______(not have) time to visit Rota or Tinnian.

Marvel Studios/Disney

A: I _____(see) Avengers: Endgame on Friday. It____(be) fantastic. ______ you (see) it yet?
B: I can't. I ______(not watch) Avengers: Infinity War yet.
A: But it ________(come out) last year.
B: I know. I just ______ (not get around to) seeing it. Work ______(be) for months.

A: I see you ______(work) in customer service for many years.
B: Yes, but last year I ______(take) a break from that to study.
A: What _____you (study)?
B: Coding. I _______ (create) three apps so far.

Exercise 2

Past Simple vs Present Perfect | Exam English