1. PRESENT PERFECT
This section will help you to understand the differences between the Present Perfect
Tense and the Simple Past Tense.
The present perfect is used when the time period I have seen three
has NOT finished: movies this week.
(This week has not finished
yet.)
The simple past is used when the time period HAS I saw three movies last
finished: week.
(Last week has finished.)
The present perfect is used when the time is not I have seen that movie
specific: already.
(We don't know when.)
The simple past is used when the time is clear: I saw that movie on
Thursday.
(We know exactly when.)
The present perfect is used with for and since, I have lived in
when the actions have not finished yet: Victoria for five years.
(I still live in Victoria.)
The simple past is used with for and since, when I lived in
the actions have already finished: Victoria for five years.
(I don't live in Victoria
now.)
The present perfect is used when the time is not I have seen that movie
specific: already.
(We don't know when.)
The simple past is used when the time is clear: I saw that movie on
Thursday.
(We know exactly when.)
2. EXERCISES
1. Bella ________ in Tokio for five years, but she left in 1993
A Lived
B Have lived
C Has lived
2. The Titanic ________ in 1912
A sank
B Have sunk
C Has sunk
3. Somebody ________ my bicycle! Now I have to walk home
A Stole
B Have stolen
C Has stolen
4. German ________ off his bike three times this month
A Fell
B Have fallen
C Has fallen
5. Laura ________ from university last July.
A Graduated
B Have graduated
C Has graduated
6. I ________ the movie Titanick three times. I´m going to see it again tonight
A Saw
B Have seen
C Has seen
3. 7. I ________ to worked every day for the last six weeks!
A Walk
B Have walked
C Has walked
8. When Juliana was a child, she ________ in Seoul.
A Lived
B Have lived
C Has lived
9. I ________ my key yesterday, so I couldn´t get into the house. Eventually,
I found it in my jacket.
A Lost
B Have lost
C Has lost
ANSWERS
4. Answer´s key
1. Lived - The simple past is right here because the action finished several
years ago.
2. Sank - This action happened at a specific time (in 1912)
3. Stole - The present perfect is best here because the action is recent, and it
is affecting the present.
4. Has fallen -
5. Graduated - This action happened at a specific time in the past, so we would
use the simple past.
6. Have seen - These are recent actions, and the speaker hasn't finished going
to see the film yet.
7. Have walked - The present perfect is used with actions which started in the
past and are still continuing, especially with for and since.
8. Lived - This action took place at a specific time in the past (when Juliana was
a child).
9. Lost - This action happened yesterday, and the key has now been found
again.
Taken from : http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/ppvpast.htm
Diana M. Hincapié