小学英语-PRESENT-PERFECT-vs-PAST-SIMPLE

Hello! Have you packed your things
yet?
Yes, yes… don’t worry Tintin. We have
already packed our things up!!
We also use the PRESENT PERFECT with the following EXPRESSIONS:
We use the PRESENT PERFECT with the following TIME ADVERBS:
JUST
Look!! The car has just broken
down!!
• Just indicates a very short time before now. • The event or action has just finished.
TIME EXPRESSIONS that indicate an
unfinished time period.
Early this morning
Still this morning
Where is Snowy?... I have heard enough bad news this morning!... Snowy!... Snowy!... Oh, he has gone out …
• It is used in questions. • POSITION: Have / has + subject + EVER + past
participle.
NEVER
• It is used in affirmative sentences. • POSITION: Have / has + NEVER + past participle.
morning!!
This evening
• When the time period we are referring is finished, then we use the Past Simple.
CONTRAST BETWEEN THE PRESENT PERFECT AND THE PAST SIMPLE
FOR / SINCE (prepositions)
FOR
SINCE
• When we mention the length of a period of time.
• Ex: How long have you been a doctor? For 10 years.
• When we mention the
• Ex: Mike didn’t go skiing because he broke his arm last week.
• We are not interested in the time of the action but in the results of that action which is connected to the present.
starting point of time.
• Ex: How long have you known each other? Since 1997 or Since we were 27.
EXPERIENCES
Have you ever been to China?
EXPLANATION
• We talk about things or experiences we have or haven’t done at some / any time in our lives up to now.
PAST SIMPLE
PRESENT PERFECT
• We are interested in a fact that happened in the past.
• We often use specific time expressions such as yesterday, two weeks ago, lat year, etc.
Look at the two Thompsons!!
What has happened to them?
EXPLANATION
The event or action is completed in the past BUT the exact time of the action is unknown or unimportant. We are interested in the RESULTS or EFFECTS of that event or action on us NOW.
• Ex: Mike can’t go ቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱkiing because he has broken his arm.
• Here, we are thinking of a period of “time up to now” even if we do not mention it.
EVER / NEVER
EVER
• It indicates at some / any time in your live up to now.
• Interrogative: HAVE / HAS + Subject + PAST PARTICIPLE?
• We have seen that film / She has seen that film
• I haven’t seen that film / She hasn’t seen that film
Outside
• today • this week • this month • this year • this morning • etc
This morning
Compare the previous example with this one:
I didn’t hear any good news this
• Have you seen that film? / Has he seen that film?
USES We use the PRESENT PERFECT for:
FINISHED EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE PRESENT
Two hours later. At hospital.
Hello! Have you ever read one of
my stories?
PRESENT PERFECT vs PAST SIMPLE
FORM
• Positive: HAVE / HAS + PAST PARTICIPLE
• Negative: HAVE NOT / HAS NOT + PAST PARTICIPLE
PAST EVENTS WITH EXPRESSIONS OF “time up to now”
How long have you known Snowy?
Let me think… I’ve known Snowy for 7
years.
EXPLANATION
Here, the event or action began in the past BUT continues up to the present
ALREADY / YET
ALREADY
• It indicates at some time before now. • The action or event may has happened sooner than
expected. • It is used in affirmative sentences. • POSITION: have / has + ALREADY + past participle.
YET
• It indicates that the action or event expected hasn’t happened, not until now.
• It is used in negative and interrogative sentences. • POSITION: at the end of the sentence.