Past Simple and Present Perfect Simple

We use the present perfect and the past simple to talk about events and things in our lives.

A. Past Simple:

We usually use the past simple for completed events or actions. We often include a time reference.

They met in the summer of '68. They went on their first date a month later. They married in '69.

The positive form is made with the ending -ed (for regular verbs - irregular verbs have their own forms), the negative is made with did not + verb and the question is made with did + subject + verb.

We played around at first, then we settled down. We didn't think it was a serious relationship. Did we expect to get married so soon?

B. Present Perfect:

We can use the present perfect in several ways:

Recent events in the past

I've lost my wedding ring!

Past situations that are still happening now

She hasn't seen her husband this morning. (It's still this morning.)

To answer 'How long...' questions (usually with 'for' or 'since')

How long have you known each other? We've been friends for years.
How long have you lived together? We've lived together since 2002.

Grammar Reference

 Present Perfect and Past Simple

Life experiences - Present Perfect - Past Simple

If we want to say when the experience happened in the past, we use the past simple.

She watched the newest Sex and the City movie last week.

Completed actions in the past – Past Simple

We usually talk about these actions and events using the past simple. We often include a time reference in these sentences.

I met my wife on 3 July 1990 and we got married in August.
We went on holiday three times together in 1997.
We celebrated our 14^th anniversary last August.
Our close friends moved to France three months ago.

Life experiences - Present Perfect

When talking about a life experience, we can use the present perfect. We don't say when it happened because we're more interested in the experience, than the time or date.

My wife has seen both Sex and the City movies.

We often use the Present Perfect with the words ever and never.

Have you ever fallen in love? No, sadly I've never been in love.

We can answer these questions with Yes, I have. or No, I haven't.

If we want to say how many times we have done something, we can use the present perfect, or we can add a past simple sentence with an expression of time or place.

'Have you ever fallen in love?' 'Yes. I've actually been in love twice.'
'Have you ever fallen in love?' 'Yes, I have. I fell in love twice with different women when I was in Japan.'

How long... questions-Present Perfect

We sometimes use the present perfect in these questions.

How long have you lived with your boyfriend?

We talk about how long with the words for (meaning throughout a period of time) and since (meaning from a point of time to now - this can be a date or a past simple phrase).

We have lived together for three years.
We've been in a relationship since 2002.
I've known him since we were children.

If we know it is a completed event, we can ask a how long question with the past simple.

'How long did you live with your ex-husband?' 'We lived together for about six years. I moved out when I found out he was cheating!' 

With just, already and yet – Present Perfect

We use the present perfect with just, already and yet to talk about recent events in the past. The exact time is not important. We use just and already mostly in positive sentences. We use yet in negative sentences and questions.

I've just met the most gorgeous man! I wonder if he's single...
'Let's go to the movies tonight, James.' 'We've already been three times this week. I think your movie mad, Jane!'
He hasn't asked me out yet.
Have you decided when to have your wedding yet?

Recent past actions that are important now – (Past & Perfect)

We use the present perfect when things that happened in the recent past are important now.

Oh no! I've lost my wedding ring... My wife will kill me!

We use the past simple to say when the action happened.

I lost my wedding ring last night...

Past situations that are still happening now – (Past & Perfect)

We use the present perfect for situations that started in the past and are still happening now.

I haven't seen my husband this morning. (It is still this morning.)

We use the past simple for situations that started and finished in the past.

I didn't see my husband this morning. (It is this afternoon or evening now.)

+ Hi, I haven't seen you for ages.
Yes, I have been on holiday.
+ Have you?
Yes, I have just got back from Sri Lanka.
+ Sri Lanka! Great. Did you have a good time ?
Yes, I think it was the best holiday I have ever had.
+ How long did you stay there?
Three weeks. And you? Have you been away?
+ No, I have been working really hard.

Present Perfect Simple

I have worked in two private companies.

We have been away together a few times.

I have lived in this country for three years.

I have had this place since 2006

I have just been to the airport to pick up a guest.

He has just gone to see some friends off.

I haven’t worked in Surabaya.

I haven’t been to Japan

How long have you lived there?

Have you been there before?

I have been there for a week.

I have never been to Rusia.

I haven’t been to London recently/lately.

(never, ever, recently, lately, before, this week, just, already)

He has just phoned. Has he just phoned? Just = +, ?

I haven’t finished it yet. Have you finished it yet? Yet = -, ?

I have already seen the film. Have you already seen the film? Already = +, ?

This is the first time or the second time I have been here.

Past Simple

I had a great time in both places.

Each time there was a problem back at the hotel.

I started working at the hotel industry 14 years ago.

Last month, two guys set off on their own.

I went there two years ago.

(ago, in 1971, last week, at 10 o’clock) 

I lived in Jogja for 20 years, but I don’t live there now.

Been and gone:

I have just been to Jakarta to pick up a guest.

He has just gone to see some friends off.

I have been here for a week.

For and since:

I have lived in this region for 10 years.

I have read this place since 2006.

Present Perfect Simple & Past Simple

In the nineties we came here every year on holiday.

Then in 2001 we decided to open a restaurant.

We have lived here since then, and we have just opened a guest house nearby.

The main problem is holidays.

We have been to Spain twice, but our last holiday was two years ago.

We haven’t had any time off since then.

My parents are here at the moment.

It’s the third time they have visited us this year.

His family are arriving today too.

In fact, he has just gone to pick them up from the airport.

Present Perfect (Have you ever) & Simple Past

Have you ever worked for a big company?

Has your sister ever studied Italian?

Have they ever seen a James Bond film?

Has he ever played basket ball?

Have you ever met someone from Manuwatu?

Has it ever snowed on your birthday?

Have you ever been to Japan?

Has she ever danced the tango?

Hallo Ryan, sit down.

Thank you.

Right. Have you ever worked in a travel agent before?

Yes, I have.

When was that?

Two years ago, before I started university. I worked for a company called Travel Tours in Manchester.

How long have you worked there for?

For six months.

Have you ever been to South America?

Yes, I have. Last summer I travel around Peru, Chile, and Argentina.

Did you enjoyed it?

Yes, I had a great time.

And have you ever visited any other countries?

Yes, I have been to India, China, Germany, France, Russia, Poland, Hungary..

Really? So, when can you start?

Present Perfect Form

We have lived together for six years.

The present perfect is made of two parts: the present form of the verb have and the past participle of the main verb.

Here is how it works in positive, negative and question forms.

Positive

subject + have + past participle

I have lived here for two years. I've lived here for two years.
We have lived together for one year. We've lived together for one year.
You have started dating that guy. You've started dating that guy.
They have been together much longer. They've been together much longer.

He has started seeing that girl. He's started seeing that girl.
She has forgiven him again. She's forgiven him again.

Negative

subject + haven't/hasn't + past participle

I haven't been in a relationship for years.
We haven't lived together very long.
You haven't moved in together yet.
They haven't been on holiday together.

He hasn't dated anyone else.
She hasn't been married before.
It hasn't been a great time for them.

Questions

Have/Has + subject + past participle

Have you asked her out?
Have they started dating?
Have we been married twenty-five years already?

Has he really dated her sister as well?
Has she seen anyone else lately?
Has it been long since you called her?

Past Simple Form

With the past simple the form doesn't change for each person (I/you/he/she/it/we/they). Remember the regular verbs end -ed but irregular verbs don't follow this riule and have their own form.

Positive

I met my wife in France.
You arrived early.
He dated three women before meeting his wife.
She thought he was the one.
It seemed like a perfect relationship.
We wanted to go to the movies together.
They organised a special holiday for their anniversary.

Negative

subject + did not / didn't + verb

I did not / didn't meet her in Spain.
You did not /didn't see him again.
He did not / didn't get anything for their anniversary.
She did not / didn't tell him about her problem.
It did not / didn't end well.
We did not / didn't want to move in with his parents.
They did not / didn't want a flashy wedding ceremony.

Questions

Did + subject + verb

Did you ask him out then?
Did he propose on holiday?
Did she like her ring?
Did we book that band for the wedding reception?
Did they really run away together?

Take note: time expressions

We use the past simple, but not the present perfect, with past time expressions like yesterday, last month, six years ago, when I was a child.

CORRECT: What did you do when you finished college?

WRONG: What have you done when you finished college?

CORRECT: I left that company three years ago.

WRONG: I have left that company three years ago.

Take note: writing and speech

We often use the past simple (not the present perfect) to describe events in stories, when one thing happens after another in the past. We use the present perfect more in speech than in writing.

Spoken English

In everyday speech and writing, it’s common to use a contraction with the auxiliary verb in the present perfect and the past simple.

I’ve just been to the supermarket.

We haven’t ever tried eating snails.

He didn’t answer his phone when I called.

We use the present perfect when we are considering something that started in the past and which we want to connect with the present.

It may be something that started in the recent past, or it may have started a long time ago. Look at the following examples:

• 'I've lived in this small village all my life.' (i.e. up to the present and probably into the future too.)
• 'I haven't yet visited the capital city and I've only been to the provincial capital once.' (i.e. in my entire life)

'But I've just passed my driving test and I've bought a new car (both in the very recent past) and I intend to travel soon.'

In the affirmative, we often use the prepositions for or since with a time phrase and the adverbs just and already.

In the negative we often combine the present perfect with the adverbs never and yet. Look at the way they are used in the following and the preceding examples.

• 'She's worked as a doctor for the last twenty five years and has never been ill herself.'
• 'I've known Tom's sister since we were at school together.'

'You've already cleaned the house and prepared lunch and it's only eleven o'clock. Slow down!

Present perfect: interrogative

When we want to ask questions using the present perfect, we often use the adverbs ever and yet or use the How long...? construction.

For the interrogative, we must also remember to invert subject and verb. Study the following:

• 'Have you ever tried to swim in the North Sea?' 'No I never have. It's far too rough.'

li> 'Has the doctor called yet to see mother?' 'Yes, he's just been.'

• 'Have you finished your homework?' 'No, not yet. I still have maths to do.'
• 'How long have you had that coat?' 'Oh, for about two years now. It's not new.'

'How long have you been in Britain?' 'I've been here for two weeks already.

Past simple: affirmative and negative

We use the past simple when we want to refer to actions which were completed in the past. It is used with a wide variety of past time phrases or expressions in reply to the question When….?, such as; earlier this morning, yesterday, last week, from April until June last year, in 1999, during the war, between 1985 and 1988, before we got married.

• 'I saw Henry at the meeting this morning, but I didn't see Sue.'
• 'I bought a lot of language books when I was in London last week.'
• 'Over fifteen million people emigrated to the United States during the 19th century.'
• 'I didn't have time to finish the article before I left for work.

The past simple is the standard tense used to describe actions which follow each other when telling a story. But in the following example notice how the present perfect is used: 

'I came home late last night.
Fred was in the kitchen but he didn't say anything.
He just looked at me as if to say: 'I know where you have been.' 
We ate our supper in silence and then we went to bed.'

Past simple: interrogative

In the interrogative, we must always remember to use the auxiliary verb did with normal inversion. It is always associated with the When...? question and may be used with a wide variety of other question forms too. Study the following examples:

Dialog:

It is early evening in Henry's home in the country.

Hello Sista. I didn't expect to see you here.

Oh, I've been here for quite a while.

When did you arrive?

Just after lunch.

Did Patrick pick you up from the station?

No, it was a nice day so I walked.

Have you eaten anything since you've been here?

Yes, I had afternoon tea with the girls.

What did you think of Penny?

She's grown up a lot since I last saw her.

And how did you find Rebecca?

She didn't join us. I haven't seen her yet.