I think I have had a very interesting life. I'm 73 now and I don't work anymore. I was in the army for 51 years. I retired when I was 70. I have been to so many countries that I can't remember all of them. I've been to Australia six or seven times and to South Africa three times. I have also been to Russia once.
Green/red sentences
A finished action, action happened at specific time in the past, action happened at an unspecified time in the past, action started in the past is still ongoing
Slide 6 - Slide
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Green/red sentences
Action....
I have had a very interesting life
Action started in the past is still ongoing
I was in the army for 51 years
A finished action
I retired when I was 70
Action happened at specific time in the past
I have been to so many countries
Action happened at an unspecified time in the past
I have been to Australia six times
Action happened at an unspecified time in the past
I also have been to Russia once
Action happened at an unspecified time in the past
Slide 7 - Slide
This item has no instructions
So that means...
We use the past simple when we talk about finished actions, and actions that happened at specific time in the past
Subject + ______ + _______
We use the present perfect simple when we talk about actions that started in the past and are still ongoing, and actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past