Use
In British
English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As soon as
a time expression in the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If there
are no signal words, you must decide if we just talk about an action in the
past or if its consequence in the present is important.
Certain
time in the past or just / already / yet?
Do you want
to express that an action happened at a certain time in the past (even if it
was just a few seconds ago) or that an action has just / already
/ not yet happened?
Simple Past
|
Present Perfect Simple
|
certain
time in the past
Example:
I phoned
Mary 2 minutes ago.
|
just / already / not yet
Example:
I have
just phoned Mary.
|
Certain
event in the past or how often so far?
Do you want
to express when a certain action took place or whether / how often an action
has happened till now?
Simple Past
|
Present Perfect Simple
|
certain
event in the past
Example:
He went
to Canada last summer.
|
whether
/ how often till now
Example:
Have you
ever been to Canada? /
I have been to Canada twice.
|
Emphasis
on action or result?
Do you just
want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to emphasise the
result (a past action's consequence in the present)?
Simple Past
|
Present Perfect Simple
|
Emphasis on action
Example:
I bought
a new bike. (just telling what
I did in the past.)
|
Emphasis
on result
Example:
I have
bought a new bike. (With this sentence
I actually want to express that I
have a
new bike now.)
|
Signal Words
Simple Past
|
Present Perfect Simple
|
- yesterday
- ...
ago
- in
1990
- the
other day
- last
...
|
- just
- already
- up
to now
- until
now / till now
- ever
- (not)
yet
- so
far
- lately
/ recently
|
Remember, you can go to
"Grammar" to download as a document.
