Some students find it difficult to decide when to use the simple past tense or the past perfect. Here are some rules and examples. Remember if you specify a time in the past (a date, an hour of the day, etc), you use the simple past.
1 Has the time period
finished?
Rule
|
Example
|
Explanation
|
The present perfect is used when the time period has NOT
finished.
|
I have seen three movies this week.
|
(This week has not finished yet.)
|
The simple past is used when the time period HAS finished.
|
I saw three movies last week.
|
(Last week has finished.)
|
2 Is it new information or
old?
Rule
|
Example
|
Explanation
|
The present perfect is often used when giving recent news.
|
Martin has crashed his car again.
|
(This is new info.)
|
The simple past is used when giving older information.
|
Martin crashed his car last year.
|
(This is old info.)
|
3 Is it a specific time?
Rule
|
Example
|
Explanation
|
The present perfect is used when the time is not specific.
|
I have seen that movie already.
|
(We don't know when.)
|
The simple past is used when the time is clear.
|
I saw that movie on Thursday.
|
(We know exactly when.)
|
4 Has the action finished
(sentences with “for” or “since”)?
Rule
|
Example
|
Explanation
|
The present perfect is used with for and since,
when the actions have not finished yet.
|
I have lived in Victoria for five years.
|
(I still live in Victoria.)
|
The simple past is used with for and since,
when the actions have already finished.
|
I lived in Victoria for five years.
|
(I don't live in Victoria now.)
|
Reference; University of Victoria, Canada
For more practice: http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/ppvpast.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment