Present Perfect and Past Simple
We use Present Perfect:
- for actions or states in the past that have a connection with the present I’ve lost my keys and can’t get into my flat. My sister has written many plays. She has drunk five cups of coffee today. Have you seen Ann this morning? Ian has lived in London for three years. - for actions that have happened just recently Oh, it seems that I’ve broken my leg. Taxi has arrived. There has been an accident… A: Somebody has broken a vase! A: I have burnt myself! |
We use Past Simple:
- for past habits or states with periods of time that have finished I lost my keys last week. Shakespeare wrote many plays. She drank five cups of coffee today. Did you see Ann this morning? Ian lived in Scotland. - for telling what happened next …but nobody got hurt. B: It wasn’t me. B: How did you do that? |
Exercise 4
Present Perfect and Past Simple
Gap-fill exercise
Put the verbs in brackets into the appropriate form of the Present Perfect and Past Simple. Write the forms out (did not, has not, have not). Read the feedback carefully.
Watch a video about Present Perfect and Past Simple