Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 585.
Exercise 16. Choose the right tense.
Example: Daniel (has been/was) quite different since he (has got/got) married.
Daniel has been quite different since he got married.
1. Things (have been/were) difficult since my father (has lost/lost) his job.
2. Since my neighbour (has taken up/took up) the saxophone, I (haven't had/didn't have) any peace.
3. Mr Danis (has been/was) very strange since he (has had/had) the accident.
4. Since Charles (has gone/went) to live in America, we (haven't heard/didn't hear) anything from him.
5. They (have lived/lived) next door to us since they (have moved/moved) here in 1990.
| Present Perfect | Past Simple |
| 1. It is used to talk about something which started in the past and continues to the present. /______ 10 years _______/ Past ___________Present She's lived in Cardiff for ten years. ( = She still lives in Cardiff now.) I've spoken to Peter this morning. (It's still morning.) | 1. It is used to talk about something which started and finished in the past. /_______ 10 years _________/ Past ______________ Present She lived in Belfast for ten years. (= She doesn't live in Belfast now.) I spoke to Peter this morning. (It's now afternoon, evening, or night time.) |
| 2. It is used when the result of a past action is connected to the present. I've lost the key. (= I haven't got it now.) | 2. It is used when the result of a past action is not connected to the present. I lost my key, but then I found it. (Now I have the key again.) |
| 3. It is used to announce “news”. Someone has stolen my bike. | 3. It is used to give details of the news. I left the bike outside a shop and when I returned, my bike wasn't there. |
| 4. It is used with expressions which refer to “any time up to now”. lately, recently, never, so far, already, yet, before, etc. Have you ever driven a car? He's never been to Edinburgh. I've taken up painting recently. | 4. It is used with expressions which refer to a definite past time. yesterday, last week, a month ago, etc. Did you drive a car yesterday? He went to Manchester last month. I took up painting a week ago. |
| 5. It is never used to ask when something happened. | 5. It is used to ask when something happened. When did you graduate? |