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mercoledì 12 ottobre 2011

Present perfect and Past simple

Most of the students, find difficult the circumstances of when it should be used either present perfect or past simple.
example:



Mark is looking for his wallet. He can't find it.
Mark has lost his wallet. (action, present perfect)

That means that he is not in possess of his wallet, at the time of speaking, now.


and a few minutes after..


Now Mark has found his wallet. He has it now.
Has he lost his wallet? No, he has found it.
Did he lose his wallet? Yes, he did.

He lost his wallet,            (before, present simple)
but now he has found it!  (now, present perfect)



The present perfect is a present tense. It always tells us about the situation now. The present simple tells us only about the the past, it doesn't tell anyting about the situation now.

This scheme represents most of the past tens, we have seen so far:

Note:
  • Present perfect is used for new or recent happenings: I've just seen a nice advertisement on TV
  • Past simple is used for things that are not recent or new: My grandfather grew up in Sardinia, then he moved to Italy when he was 35 years old.
Compare the examples:
- Who invented the first car?
- Do you know if the Europeans car manufacturers have invented some new eco-engine?

  • Present perfect is used to give new information, but if we continue to talk about it, we normally use the past simple.
more examples:
- I've just cut my finger!
- Are you ok? I'll bring you a plaster.
- Yes please, take here the whole first Aid box.
- How did it happened?
- I cut myself with the new knife, is so sharped!

Do not forget, what we said in the previous lessons:
  • Present perfect is not used when is refered to a finished time (yesterday, in 1980, yesterday, when i was a child): last weekend was soo cold.
  • When in the sentence there is When or What time, it must be used the Past simple: what time did you get home last night?
more examples:
- It hasn't snowed yet this year.     (Present perfect)
- It didn't snow last year.               (Past simple)

- at breakfast time: Have you shaved this morning?         (Present perfect)
- at dinner: You didn't shave this morning, isn't?               (Past simple)

- I have never been in Tunisia.    (Present perfect)
- I was in Tunisia in 2005.           (Past simple) Best Blogger Tips

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