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Present perfect or past simple?
B1 B1 grammar · lesson 1 of 23
You already know both tenses. In this lesson you learn how to choose between them, because the choice changes what your sentence means.
Two tenses, two ideas
Both tenses talk about the past, but they look at it in different ways.
The past simple (I went, she saw) describes a finished action at a finished time. The time is clear, or we say it: yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago, when I was a child.
The present perfect (I have been, she has seen) connects the past to now. We do not say exactly when it happened, or the time period is not finished yet: ever, never, already, yet, just, so far, today, this week.
| Past simple | Present perfect |
|---|---|
| finished time: yesterday, last year, ago, in May | no exact time: ever, never, before |
| the story or the details | the news or the result now |
| When did you…? | Have you ever…? |
News first, details after
In conversation we often start with the present perfect to give the news. Then we change to the past simple to give the details, because now the time is clear.
I have lost my keys! I left them on the bus this morning.
Have you ever been to Spain? Yes, I went there in 2021.
Anna has finished her project. She sent it to the teacher an hour ago.
Tom has written three books. (He is still alive and can write more.)
My grandfather wrote three books. (He is dead. His life is finished.)
I have had two coffees today. (Today is not finished.)
I had two coffees yesterday. (Yesterday is finished.)
Ken has broken his leg, so he can’t play football this month.
This morning, today, this week
Words like this morning can take both tenses. If the time is still going on, use the present perfect. If it is over, use the past simple. At 10 a.m. you say I have drunk a lot of water this morning. At 6 p.m. you say I drank a lot of water this morning.
Common mistakes
✗ I have seen him yesterday.
✓ I saw him yesterday.
✗ When have you arrived?
✓ When did you arrive?
✗ Did you ever eat sushi?
✓ Have you ever eaten sushi?