English, baby!

Present Perfect

Date: Oct 03 2007

Lesson

(Please note that British and American English have different rules for the use of this tense. The explanation here refer to British English. In American English, it is often acceptable to use the past simple in some of these examples.)
We use the present perfect when we want to look back from the present to the past.
We can use it to look back on the recent past.

I've broken my watch so I don't know what time it is.
They have cancelled the meeting.
She's taken my copy. I don't have one.
The sales team has doubled its turnover.
When we look back on the recent past, we often use the words 'just' 'already' or the word 'yet' (in negatives and questions only).
We've already talked about that.
She hasn't arrived yet.
I've just done it.
They've already met.
They don't know yet.
Have you spoken to him yet?
Have they got back to you yet?
It can also be used to look back on the more distant past.
We've been to Singapore a lot over the last few years.
She's done this type of project many times before.
We've mentioned it to them on several occasions over the last six months.
They've often talked about it in the past.
When we look back on the more distant past, we often use the words 'ever' (in questions) and 'never'.
Have you ever been to Argentina?
Has he ever talked to you about the problem?
I've never met Jim and Sally.
We've never considered investing in Mexico.

Comments

1 through 20 of 51
Next >
1 2 3

Luna Exoriens

Poland

Difficult tense so thanks.

pooja2

India

ossam!

shkurta

Albania

very good expalins…thanks a lot

Marcelolic

Brazil

Very good this lesson…now I could visualize some doubts ;)
I like this! this exchage of knowledge :D
Thanks.

the $60 billiom man

Saudi Arabia

Thank you….......

really good lesson…

bluese

Turkey

Thanks,wonderful and very beautiful pages

ne_mobliez_pas

Ukraine

thank you. It is realy useful

yi_01213

Hong Kong

it's quite useful for me! thanks

ghost9046

Yemen

Thanks for the info.

Also I need to add something that present perfect can express the repetition of an activity before now. The exact time of each repetition is not important. For example, I have flown on an airplane many times.

The Bottom Line, the main different between Present perfect and Past simple is that present perfect express the idea that something happened (or never happened) before now, at an specified time in the past. The exact time it happened is not important. While the past simple indicates that an activity or situation began and ended at a particular in the past.