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

has NOT finished: I have seen three

movies this week.

(This week has not finished

yet.)

The simple past is used when the time period HAS

finished: I saw three movies last

week.

(Last week has finished.)

The present perfect is used when the time is not

specific: I have seen that movie

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,

when the actions have not finished yet: I have lived in

Victoria for five years.

(I still live in Victoria.)

The simple past is used with for and since, when

the actions have already finished: I lived in

Victoria for five years.

(I don't live in Victoria

now.)

The present perfect is used when the time is not

specific: I have seen that movie

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.)

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

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

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