B1 · Lesson 1 · 20 min
Present perfect or past simple
In this lesson
- I can choose the present perfect for experiences and present results.
- I can use the past simple with finished times such as yesterday and in 2024.
Grammar in context
Maya is planning a weekend in Edinburgh. She has visited the city twice, so she knows some good cafés. Last October, she stayed near the station with her cousin. Today, she has booked their train tickets online.
Which sentences tell us when something happened, and which connect the past to now?
Experience or a finished time
Use the present perfect for life experience when the exact past time is not important: have/has + past participle. Use the past simple when you say when an action happened in a finished period, such as last weekend, in 2023 or on Monday. Do not use the present perfect with these finished-time expressions.
- I have tried Korean food several times.
- I tried Korean food for the first time last Friday.
A result that matters now
The present perfect can describe a past action with a result now. The action is finished, but the present situation is important. Questions use Have/Has + subject + past participle. Negatives use have not or has not; contractions such as haven't and hasn't are common.
- Leo has lost his keys, so he cannot open the flat.
- Have you sent the message to the dentist?
Time periods and details
Choose the past simple for a completed time period, even if the action feels important now. The present perfect often gives an update within an unfinished time period, such as today or this week. The past simple can also occur within that period when the speaker treats an event or opportunity as finished. Add past details after a present-perfect experience with the past simple.
- I have had two meetings today.
- I had two meetings yesterday.
Common mistakes
Compare the incorrect and corrected forms.
Avoid
I have met her last month.
Use
I met her last month.
Last month is a finished time, so use the past simple.
Avoid
Have you ever saw the northern lights?
Use
Have you ever seen the northern lights?
After have, use the past participle seen rather than the past simple saw.
Put it into practice
Try the exercises, write your own examples and check your understanding.