The difference between present perfect and Past Simple

Past Simple

FORM [VERB+ed] or irregular verbs

You studied at school last year. You did not study at school last year. Did you study at school last year?

They wrote a test on Monday. They did not write a test on Monday. Did they write a test on Monday?

He was busy at work yesterday. He was not busy at work yesterday. Was he busy at work yesterday?

USE 1 Completed Action in the Past

Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind. We use Past Simple with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, the day before yesterday, yesterday morning (evening), last night (week, month, year, etc.), an hour ago (three days, two months ago, etc.), on Monday (Tuesday, etc.), on the 1^st of May, in 1978, at 6 o’clock, last, last time.

Examples:

· I saw a movie yesterday. Did you have dinner last night?

USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions

We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past.

Examples:

· I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.

· He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.

· Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?

USE 3 Habits in the Past

The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.

Examples:

· I studied French when I was a child.

· They never went to school, they always skipped class.

USE 4 Past Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 3 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to."

Examples:

· People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.

USE 5 Duration in Past

The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc. What is important is the fact – not the process.

Examples:

· I lived in Brazil for two years.

· Shauna studied Japanese for five years.

· They talked for half an hour and parted.

The difference between PRESENT PERFECT and PAST SIMPLE

Present Perfect	Past Simple
Событие имеет отношение к настоящему. Предложение с Present Perfect часто может быть перефразировано предложением с настоящим временем: He has broken his leg. – His leg is broken (He can’t walk now).	Событие относится к сфере прошлого. Указание на прошлое время дается либо с помощью наречий, либо контекстом (ситуацией): He broke his leg two days ago. He broke his leg at the PT lesson.
Используя Present Perfect, говорящий подчеркивает факт/результат совершения какого-либо действия или события независимо от времени его совершения: I’ve just seen him. Возможно указание на период времени (since, for).	Используя Past Simple, говорящий указывает на конкретное/точное время совершения какого-либо действия или события в прошлом: I saw him a minute ago.
Сочетания this morning (month, year), today, etc. употребляются с Present Perfectв случае, когда этот период времени еще не закончился: I’ve seen him this morning (утро еще не закончилось).	Сочетания this morning (month, year), today, etc. употребляются с Past Simple в случае, когда этот период времени уже закончился: I saw him this morning (сейчас день или вечер).
Специальные вопросы, начинающиеся с where, why, what, who, выражающие эмоциональную реакцию или имеющие отношение к настоящему, используют Present Perfect: Why haven’t you gone? (удивление) What have I done against you? What has happened? Where have you been? ( Я тебя давно не видел).	Специальные вопросы, начинающиеся с where, why, what, who и уточняющие детали прошлого события, используют Past Simple: Why didn’t you go with Dorothy? (причина) How did you get there? Who left the tap turned on in the kitchen? Where did you buy this ring? Where were you at this time yesterday?   NBВопрос с when, используется только в Past Simple: When did he arrive? When were they there last?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14