Present perfect or past simple?

You’re probably reading this post because you want to know when to use the present perfect and when to use the past simple.

Sometimes you can use either tense and there will be very little difference in meaning. For example:

• Did you do your homework?

• Have you done your homework?

However, sometimes there is a difference between the past simple and the present perfect, as in this example:

I lived in Manchester for 10 years. = I don't live there now

I have lived in Zurich for 20 years. = I still live there

Number one tip - past time phrases 

The number one tip I can give you is to use a past tense (past simple, past continuous or past perfect) with past time phrases such as last week, yesterday and in 1989.

Do Say	Don't say
I bought a new skirt last week.	I have bought a new skirt last week.
Yesterday I went to the lake.	Yesterday I have been to the lake.
I moved to Leeds in 1989.	I have moved to Leeds in 1989.

Since yesterday

If, however, the time phrase is used with the word since, it is fine to use the present perfect.

• I haven't seen been to the office since last week.

One more tip

The present perfect is a pretty tricky tense to understand. It takes a long time to get a good feeling of when this tense should be used. One tip I share with my students is to read newspaper articles and to find examples of the present perfect. Try to analyse why it has been used. After you've done that, switch the sentence to past simple to try to decide if that changes the meaning.

That's all for now!

You can read more about the present perfect by checking out this post or by coming along to lessons with me.