Present Perfect (I have done) or Past Simple (I did)-Review

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  • Post category:grammar

Past with a finished time and Present perfect with a unfinished time.
Past Simple: about a finished situation, a finished time.

Keywords: 15 minutes ago, 2 hours ago, yesterday, last days, last month, in 2007, etc…
The plane arrived 15 minutes late.
It was hot yesterday!
Last month, I was ill and I went to the hospital. Now, I feel better.

Keywords: When….? What time … ?
When did you arrive?
What time did the plane arrive?

See the differences:
Present Perfect: Peter has lost his book. He can’t study his english lesson.
Past Simple: Peter lost his book. He couldn’t study his english lesson.

Compare these situations:

 

Past Simple:
(the time is finished)		Present Perfect:
(the time continues until now)

It rained a lot last week!
It didn’t snow last week!
(last week = it’s finished!).

Did you see him yesterday?
(yesterday = it’s the past!).

Did you see July this morning?
(it’s the afternoon or evening).

Peter lived in NYC 5 years.
(now, he doesn’t live in NYC).
(it’s finished).

Last year, I didn’t played the piano.
(the year is finished, it was last year).

It hasn’t rained this week!
It hasn’t snowed this week!
(this week = until now, not finished).

Have you seen him recently?
(recently = until now, not finished).

Have you seen her this morning?
(it’s still the morning, not finished).

Peter has lived in NYC for 5 years.
(he’s still living in NYC).
(it’s not finished).

I’ve never played the piano.
(until now, present).

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs PAST SIMPLE: