WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRESENT PERFECT AND THE SIMPLE

PAST?

CONTRAST BETWEEN PRESENT PERFECT AND SIMPLE PAST

We use definite expressions with the Simple Past tense: yesterday, last week, … ago, and others while we don’t use definite time expressions with the Present perfect tense.The simple past talks about specific events that finished already while the present perfect talks about events with indefinite time that began on the past and continues to the present

Question

Present Perfect

QUESTION Have I Have you Has he Has she + past participle?Has it Have we Have you Have they

Have you gone to Paris?

Simple Past

Question

QUESTION Have I Have you Has he Has she + past participle?Has it Have we Have you Have they

Have you gone to Paris?

Present Perfect

Possitive Answer

I have (‘ve) You have (‘ve) He has (‘s) She has (‘s) + past participle It has (‘s) We have (‘ve) You have (‘ve) They have (‘ve)

Form:

Yes, I have gone to Paris

Simple Past

Possitive answer

I You He She + pastIt WeYouThey

Yes, I went to Paris last summer

Present Perfect

Negative answers

NEGATIVE I have not (haven´t) You have not (haven´t) He has not (hasn´t) She has not (hasn’t) + past participleIt has not (hasn´t) We have not (haven´t) You have not (haven´t) They have not (haven´t)

They haven’t been to school

Simple Past

Negative answer

NEGATIVE I have not (haven´t) You have not (haven´t) He has not (hasn´t) She has not (hasn’t) + past participleIt has not (hasn´t) We have not (haven´t) You have not (haven´t) They have not (haven´t)

They haven’t been to school

• He has travelled a lot in his current job.• He has never travelled.

This is an action in the past that comes up to the present.

Isnt finished

• He travelled a lot in his previous job• He has never travelled.

This is an action in the past that remains on the past

Finished

Example:

• Have you met Ray? – Yes, I met him when we were students.

• My parents have been to India. In fact, they went there twice last year.

• Has anybody phoned me? – Yes, Joyce phoned an hour ago.