Past simple vs Present Perfect

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2

When do you use the Present Perfect?

1. To say something has just finished
2. To say something happened but you don't know when
3. To say something happened and is still going on now
4. To say you now notice the effects of something that happened earlier

When do you use the Past Simple?

1. To say something has finished
2. To say something started in the past and is still happening now
3. To say something just finished
4. To say something took a long time

Which sentence is in the Present Perfect tense?

1. I am playing football
2. I was playing football
3. I played football
4. I have played football

Which sentence is in the Past Simple tense?

1. I have bought a dog
2. I bought a dog
3. I was buying a dog
4. I buyed a dog

Past Simple

* happened in the past and is finished.

+ = verb-ed / 2nd form

I walked (walk) / I bought (buy)

- = did not (didn't) + verb

I didn't walk / I didn't buy

? = did + subject + verb

Did I walk? / Did I buy?

• The man (to play) piano.
• The man played piano.
• She (to swim) in the sea.
• She swam in the sea.
• He sold his tickets. (-)
• He didn't sell his tickets.
• We played all night. (?)
• Did we play all night?

Present Perfect

*Started in the past and still continuing now

*just finished / you notice the effects(results) now

*no time indication

*experiences 

+ = have/has + 2nd form or verb-ed

I have washed the clothes

- = hasn't/haven't + 3rd form or -ed

You haven't done your homework

? = have/has + subject + 3rd form or -ed

Have you watched the game?

for / yet / since / just

• I (to have) breakfast.
• I have had breakfast
• They (to play) piano.
• They have played piano.
• She (not to walk) in the rain.
• She hasn't walked in the rain
• (we / to eat) food?
• Have we eaten food?

Past simple vs Present Perfect

Past simple: is finished and you know when it happened.

yesterday, last week, a month ago, in 1990, etc...

Present perfect: (1)just finished / you notice the results now, (2)still going on now, (3)experience, (4)don't know when it happened.

just, since/for, never/often

Exercise

Make questions (?) and negations (-) in the PAST SIMPLE and PRESENT PERFECT

Type the whole sentence

They (not - to be) home last night

He (not - live) here since 1990.

(you / do) your homework yet?

(The dog / to bite) the man yesterday?

( He / to break) his legs?

(you / just / to finish) building this car?

He (not - to play) videogames since he was a child.

We (not - to go) to Spain yesterday.

We (not - to have) a dog last Christmas.

(She / to buy) an umbrella yesterday?

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When something is finished and you know when

1. You use the past simple
2. You use the present perfect

When something just finished

1. You use the present perfect
2. You use the past simple

When something happened in the past and is now still going on

1. You use the past simple
2. You use the present perfect

When you talk about experiences

1. You use the present perfect
2. You use the past simple

The past simple is made with:

1. verb + ed
2. 2nd form
3. have/has
4. 3rd form