What’s the difference? Present Perfect and Past Simple
| Present Perfect Simple | Past Simple |
| Unfinished actions that started in the past and continue to the present: I‘ve known Julie for ten years (and I still know her). | Finished actions: I knew Julie for ten years (but then she moved away and we lost touch). |
| A finished action in someone’s life (when the person is still alive: life experience): My brother has been to Mexico three times. | A finished action in someone’s life (when the person is dead): My great-grandmother went to Mexico three times. |
| A finished action with a result in the present: I‘ve lost my keys! (The result is that I can’t get into my house now). | A finished action with no result in the present: I lost my keys yesterday. It was terrible! (Now there is no result. I got new keys yesterday). |
| With an unfinished time word (this week, this month, today): I‘ve seen John this week. | With a finished time word (last week, last month, yesterday): I saw John last week. |
Remember:
- We use the past simple for past events or actions which have no connection to the present.
- We use the present perfect for actions which started in the past and are still happening now OR for finished actions which have a connection to the present.
- We CAN’T use the present perfect with a finished time word:
- NOT: I’ve been to the museum yesterday.