Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Form:
Use:
1) to talk about something that happened in the past, when we dont mention the
exact time (if we say when the action happened, we use past simple)
e.g. Weve been to Japan three times.
Mark has had several different jobs.
2) to talk about something that began in the past and continues in the present
e.g. Weve lived here since 1985.
Shes worked in this office for 8 months
3) to talk about something that happened in the past but has an importance in the
present
e.g. Ive lost my keys (= now I cant get into the house)
Shes broken her leg (= now she cant go to work)
4) to give news
e.g. Have you heard? Helen and James have got married!
Ive passed all my exams!
5) to describe things that happened in unfinished time (today, this week, this
month etc)
e.g. Ive drunk six cups of coffee today.
Have you seen Andy this week?
6) to talk about number or amount
e.g. How much money have you spent?
Ive spent over 200.
How many films have you seen this year?
Ive seen more than 15.
7) with superlative adjectives
e.g. This is the most delicious apple pie Ive ever eaten!
Whats the best book youve ever read?
8) with its/this is the first time etc
e.g. Its the first time weve visited Athens.
This is the third time Ive watched this video.
Note 1: The verb go has two past participles gone and been.
We use gone when someone went somewhere and has not returned
e.g. Mum has gone to the supermarket (= she is not here she is probably still in the
supermarket)
We use been when someone went somewhere but has returned
e.g. Mum has been to the supermarket (= she is back home now)
Note: we use some words and phrases with present perfect simple: since, for, yet, still,
already, just, recently, ever, never, so far
since we use this with points in time
e.g. since Friday, since 1985, since 4 oclock, since Christmas
for we use this with periods of time
e.g. for three years, for 20 minutes, for ages, for a long time
yet we use this with negative statements and questions
e.g. Fred hasnt read the book yet.
Have you finished dinner yet?
still we use this with negative statements
e.g. You still havent given me the money you owe me!
already we use this with positive statements
e.g. Weve already done our homework.
just - we use this with positive statements
e.g. Harry and June have just gone out
recently we use this with positive statements, negative statements and questions
e.g. Ive been to the cinema many times recently.
They havent come to visit us recently.
Has Peter phoned you recently?
ever we use this with questions
e.g. Have you ever eaten Indonesian food?
never we use this with negative statements
e.g. Harry has never travelled abroad.
seen her.
6. Ive _______________ eaten snails and I dont think I want to!
7. Weve seen Star Wars three times _______________ and we plan to go and see it
again!
8. He _______________ hasnt said sorry to me for what he did.
past simple or present perfect simple?
It is very important that you understand the difference between the past simple and present
perfect tenses
Look:
present perfect
past simple
Practice: Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense past simple or present perfect
1. Where is Tom?
I (not see) _______________ him recently.
2. I (buy) _______________ this jumper in London some time ago.
How much (you pay) _______________ for it?
I (pay) _______________ 25.
3. Peter (leave) _______________ the house at 7:30.
Where (he go) _______________?
I (not see) _______________ where he went.