Grammar, compared
Present perfect vs past simple
Both talk about the past. The past simple closes it. The present perfect keeps it connected to now.
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| Past simple | Present perfect |
|---|---|
| I lived in Rosario for five years. (I don't live there now.) | I have lived in Rosario for five years. (I still do.) |
| She finished the report at 5. (A moment in the past.) | She has finished the report. (It is ready now.) |
| I saw that film in 2019. (A finished time.) | I have seen that film twice. (Life so far.) |
When to use each
| Point | Past simple | Present perfect |
|---|---|---|
| Time | A finished time: yesterday, last week, in 2019, ago | No time given, or a period not over: today, this week, so far |
| Focus | What happened then | The result or the link with now |
| Signal words | yesterday, ago, last, in 2020, when | ever, never, already, yet, just, for, since |
| Questions | When did you arrive? | Have you ever been there? |
| Form | worked, went | have or has plus worked, gone |
Watch out if you speak Spanish
- A finished time word blocks the present perfect. Say I saw him yesterday, not I have seen him yesterday.
- Since and for need the present perfect when the situation continues: I have lived here since 2020, not I live here since 2020.
- Ask When did you arrive? Never When have you arrived?
- Spanish he vivido often becomes the past simple in English if the time is over. Ask yourself: is this time finished?
Practice
Grammar practice
Choose or type the answer for each sentence, then check.
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Questions
- Can I use the present perfect with yesterday?
- No. Yesterday is a finished time, so use the past simple: I saw her yesterday.
- Do Americans use the past simple more?
- Yes, in informal American English people often say Did you eat yet? Learn the standard rule first, then notice the variety.
Keep going
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