Simple Past Present Perfect Simple

Form
Simple Past Present Perfect Simple

irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs I spoke

irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular Example: I / you / e / they have spoken he / she / it has spoken

Example: verbs

regular verbs: infinitive + ed Example: I orked

regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed Example: I / you / e / they have orked he / she / it has orked Exceptions

Exceptions when adding 'ed': hen the final letter is e! only add d Example: love " loved after a short! stressed vo el! the final consonant is doubled Example: admit " admitted final l is al ays doubled in #ritish $nglish %not in &merican $nglish' Example: travel " travelled after a consonant! final y becomes i %but: not after a vo el' Example: orry " orried but: play " played See also e(planations on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple

Use
In #ritish $nglish! the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is )uite strict* &s soon as a time e(pression in the past is given! you have to use Simple Past* If there are no signal ords! you

must decide if e +ust talk about an action in the past or if its conse)uence in the present is important* ,ote that the follo ing e(planations and e(ercises refer to British English only* In &merican $nglish! you can normally use Simple Past instead of Present Perfect* -e cannot accept this in our e(ercises! ho ever! as this ould lead to confusions amongst those ho have to learn the differences*

Certain time in the past or just / already / yet?

.o you ant to e(press that an action happened at a certain time in the past %even if it as +ust a fe 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 0ary 2 minutes ago*

just / already / not yet Example: I have +ust phoned 0ary*

Certain e ent in the past or how often so far?

.o you ant to e(press hen a certain action took place or hether / ho often an action has happened till no /

Simple Past
certain e ent in the past Example: 1e ent to 2anada last summer*

Present Perfect Simple

whether / how often till now Example: 1ave you ever been to 2anada/ / I have been to 2anada t ice*

Emphasis on action or res!lt?

.o you +ust ant to e(press hat happened in the past/ 3r do you ant to emphasise the result %a past action's conse)uence in the present'/

Simple Past

Present Perfect Simple

Emphasis on action Example: I bought a ne bike* (just telling what I did in the past.)

Emphasis on res!lt Example: I have bought a ne bike* (With this sentence I actually want to express that I have a new bike now.)

Signal "ords

Simple Past
yesterday *** ago in 4556 the other day last *** +ust already up to no until no ever %not' yet so far

Present Perfect Simple

/ till no

lately / recently

Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct tense %simple past or present perfect simple'*

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

0other: I ant to prepare dinner* %you / ash' .aughter: I % ash' the time yet to do it today* 0other: %you / do / already' .aughter: ,o! I %come / +ust' 0other: 7ou %come'

the dishes yet/

the dishes yesterday! but I %have / not'

your home ork/ home from school* home from school t o hours ago8 hen I %arrive'

.aughter: -ell! but my friend 9ucy %call' and I %finish / +ust' the phone call*

7.
:*

0other: %you / see / not' .aughter: 7es! but e %have / not'

9ucy at school in the morning/ time to talk then*

Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct tense %simple past or present perfect simple'*

1. 2. 3.

&: %you / be / ever' #: 7es! I %be' &: -hen %be'

to 9ondon/ there three times* the last time you %be' there/

;*

#: 9ast summer* I %spend' e %go' to 9ondon one eekend* it/

t o eeks in #righton ith my parents and

5. 6.
<*

%you / like' 3h yes* -e really %have' 9ucky you8 I %be / never'

a great time in 9ondon* to 9ondon*

Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct tense %simple past or present perfect simple'*

1. 2. 3.
;*

&: %you / play / already' #: ,o! not yet* I only %buy' the time yet* &: %you / go' #: 7es* I %be' cinema recently/ &: I last %go' #: So you %see / not'

the ne

computer game/

it yesterday and I %have / not'

to the cinema last night/ there ith Sue and 9ouis* %you / be' to the

5. 6. 7. 8.
action8

to the cinema t o eeks ago* the ne action film yet* it/ it " too much

&: ,o! unfortunately not* %you / en+oy' #: 3h! I really %love'

it* #ut Sue %like / not'

9.

&: #ut hy %you / take' eek that she %hate'

her ith you/ She %tell' action films*

me last

46*

#: I think she has an eye on 9ouis* She %try' So he %can / concentrate / not' on the film*

to flirt ith him all the time*