PAST SIMPLE vs PRESENT PERFECT? | ALL Differences + QUIZ + PDF

In this English grammar lesson, you're going to master two of the most important verb tenses

in English, and that's the past simple and the present perfect.

You're going to learn how to use them, just like a native speaker.

Welcome back to JForrest English.

Of course.

I'm Jennifer.

Now let's get started.

Let's compare 2 sentences.

I saw that movie.

I've seen that movie.

I'm sure you know that.

I saw that movie is the Past Simple, and I've seen that movie is the present Perfect.

Easy, right?

Let's quickly review the structure.

To form the Past Simple, you need the subject and the past simple verb, which is either

the base verb plus Ed or an irregular verb.

In this case we have an irregular verb because it isn't.

I seed that movie with Ed, it's I saw that movie.

So it's an irregular past symbol.

To form the present perfect, you need the subject have or has depending on the subject.

And you need the past participle.

For the subjects I, you, we and they you need, have, And for the subjects ** *** it, you

need has.

I have seen that movie.

She has seen that movie.

Now let's talk about how to use these verb tenses, because native speakers use them in

ways that most students don't use correctly.

Of course the past simple is used for a completed past action.

I saw that movie.

But did you know that the present perfect is also used with a completed past action?

However, there has to be a result in the present.

That's why we call it the present perfect.

So just remember that present completed past action but result or impact in the present.

Right now I've seen that movie.

So what could be the result in the present?

I've seen that movie so now I don't want to watch it.

So now I can tell you about it.

So now we can discuss it and I can share my opinion.

So always remember there's a SO now with the present perfect, when is a completed past

action.

But very important native speakers rarely say the SO now it's just implied based on

context.

So your friend could invite you over and say, do you want to come over and watch Barbie

tonight?

And you can reply back and say, I've seen it.

Now your friend understands the so now you don't want to watch Barbie.

You don't need to vocalize that and most native speakers will not vocalize it.

So you might say I've seen it and then ask your friend, have you seen the new Leo movie?

Did you notice I use the present perfect in that question?

Have you seen the new Leo movie?

We also use the present perfect to talk about life experience, things we have and haven't

done in our lives until now.

For example, have you ever eaten sushi?

To reply, you can say no, I haven't eaten sushi or yes I have, yes I have is the short

form.

The full form would be yes, I have eaten sushi.

You could add on and say I ate it last year for the first time.

This is the past simple because it's a completed past action.

You could also add on.

I lived in Japan for a year.

Again, this is the past simple, a completed past action.

You do not live in Japan now.

What if you said I've lived in Japan for a year?

This is the present perfect and it's used for an action that started in the past and

continues until now and will continue into the future indefinitely.

Now, it's important to note that you can use the present perfect or the present perfect

continuous interchangeably with three common verbs.

Live, work, study.

I've lived in Japan for a year.

I've been living in Japan for a year.

They're exactly the same.

But this is only for those 3 verbs.

Live, work and study.

You could say I didn't eat sushi when I lived in Japan.

This is in the past.

Simple because it's a completed time reference.

It's impossible for you to eat sushi now because the whole time reference is in the past.

But you could also say I haven't eaten sushi yet.

This is the present perfect, and it's an unfinished time reference because it's still possible

for you to eat sushi now.

Why?

Because you're alive.

You could eat sushi tomorrow or next week, so it's an unfinished time reference.

So let's review our uses for the past.

Simple.

You can use it for a completed past action or life experience with a finished time reference

for the present perfect.

You can use it with a completed past action, with a result in the present life experience,

life experience, with an unfinished time reference, and with an action that started in the past

and continues until now with those 3 common verbs which are live, work and study.

Now let's review some common mistakes that I hear students make again and again with

these two very important verb tenses.

Let's review this sentence.

I've tried sushi last week.

What's the mistake in this sentence?

Do you know you can't use a specific time reference last week?

That's a specific time reference.

You can't use a specific time reference with the present perfect.

So how would you correct this sentence?

Write it in the comments.

I ate sushi last week because you have last week, you need the past.

Simple.

Some comments specific time references are yesterday, last month, last week, last year

in 2020 at 3:30 PM.

Assuming now it's after 334 years ago on July 15th, which is in the past when I graduated

because you graduated at a specific time in the past, perhaps July 15th, 2020 during the

meeting.

Again, the meeting took place at a specific time on Monday at 3:30 and today's Tuesday.

So it's in the past.

How about this sentence?

We've lived here since 10 years.

What's the mistake?

Do you know the mistake is confusing for or since?

One of the most common mistakes.

How can you fix the sentence?

Put it in the comments.

We've lived here for 10 years.

We've lived here since 2013.

You need 4 + a duration and sense plus a starting point.

2013 is the starting point for that action which continues until now because it's in

the present perfect.

Because remember you can use the present perfect or the present perfect continuous with which

three verbs live, work and study.

You got it.

Now I'm going to quiz you to see how well you really know the past simple and the present

perfect.

Are you ready?

Question one.

She breakfast an hour ago.

Do you need the past simple or the present perfect?

And how do you conjugate it?

Put your answer in the comments.

She ate breakfast an hour ago.

Past simple because it's a completed past action with a specific past time reference

an hour ago.

And notice eat is an irregular verb.

She ate question two.

You need to rewrite the sentence so it's in the present perfect.

The sentence is she ate breakfast an hour ago.

How would you rewrite this in the present perfect?

Put it in the comments.

She has already eaten breakfast.

You don't need already.

That's optional.

She has eaten breakfast, so now she's not hungry.

But remember, a native speaker won't communicate that so now.

So you can simply say she's eaten breakfast.

She's already eaten breakfast.

So you need to get rid of that past time reference.

It can't exist with the present perfect question Three we three paintings so far.

Do you need the past simple or the present perfect?

How do you conjugate it?

Put the correct answer in the comments.

We have bought 3 paintings so far.

This is in the present perfect because it's possible for you to buy more paintings.

You can go to the store tomorrow or next week.

So it's an unfinished time reference because you're alive.

So it's still possible for you to buy more paintings.

We have bought 3 paintings so far.

Question 4.

Rewrite this sentence so it's in the past.

Simple.

We have bought 3 paintings so far.

We we bought past Simple irregular verb.

We bought 3 paintings last week, yesterday, an hour ago.

You simply need a past time reference question 5 Ling as a realtor from 2005 to 2015 do you

need the past simple present perfect?

Put the correct answer in the comments.

Ling worked as a realtor because it's a completed past action.

Your final question, you know what to do.

Rewrite the sentence so it's in the present perfect.

Ling has worked as a realtor and now we need since since 2005.

Or we can use for for 20 years.

But because it's in the present perfect, it means Ling is still a realtor now, whereas

in the past simple she is no longer a realtor.

How did you do with that quiz?

Share your score in the comments below and if you found this video helpful, please hit

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every time I post a new lesson.

And you can get this free speaking guide where I share 6 tips on how to speak English fluently

and confidently.

You can click here to download it or look for the link in the description.

And there are many irregular verbs in English.

I have a lesson summarizing the most common, so make sure you watch that lesson now because

you need to know the irregular verbs to correctly use the past simple an the present perfect.

So watch the lesson right now.