Present perfect vs past simple
Two ways to look at the past
- Both tenses talk about the past — but in different ways.
- Past simple = a finished time. Present perfect = connected to now.
- I saw it yesterday. / I have seen it.
Finished time → past simple
- Use the past simple with a finished past time.
- yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago.
- We met in 2018. She called an hour ago.
Connected to now → present perfect
- Use the present perfect for experience or the recent past, with no exact time.
- I have visited Japan. He has just left.
- It matters now — the result or the experience.
Complete: Have you ever ___ (be) to London?
Experience with “ever” → present perfect: “Have you ever been …?”
Signal words
- Past simple: yesterday, … ago, last …, in 2019.
- Present perfect: just, already, yet, ever, never, since, for.
- Never put a finished time with the present perfect.
Which tense does the signal word want?
A finished time → past simple; an open / 'up to now' word → present perfect.
Choose the correct sentence.
“yesterday” is a finished time → past simple: “I saw him yesterday.”
Is this correct? “I have finished my homework an hour ago.”
“an hour ago” is a finished time → past simple: “I finished … an hour ago.”
Translate into English: 我从没去过北京。
Experience (never) → present perfect: “I have never been to Beijing.”
Common mistakes
- ❌ When have you arrived? → ✓ When did you arrive? — when asks for a past time.
- ❌ This is the first time I go here. → ✓ …the first time I have been here.
- just now → past simple; just → present perfect: I finished just now. / I have just finished.
Which sentence is correct?
last year is an exact past time → past simple.
Complete with one word: I have ___ finished — the report is on your desk.
just sits inside the present perfect; just now would need the past simple.
- Finished past time → past simple.
- Experience / recent, no time given → present perfect.
- yesterday → past simple; just / already / ever → present perfect.
Write one sentence about something you have done recently, using the present perfect (no exact time).
Example: “I have just finished a good book.”