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Content
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
1. Simple Past..................................................................................................................................3
1.1. Simple Past Forms....................................................................................................................3
1.2. Simple Past Uses.......................................................................................................................3
1.2.1. Use 1: Completed Action in the Past.....................................................................................3
1.2.2. Use 2: A Series of Completed Actions..................................................................................4
1.2.3. Use 3: Duration in the Past....................................................................................................4
1.2.4. Use 4: Habits in the Past........................................................................................................5
1.2.5. Used 5: Past Facts or Generalizations...................................................................................5
2. Present perfect.............................................................................................................................6
2.1. Present Perfect Forms...............................................................................................................6
2.2. Present Perfect Uses.................................................................................................................7
2.2.1. Use 1: Unspecified time before now.....................................................................................7
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
Bibliography..................................................................................................................................11
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Introduction

Verb tenses tell us how an action relates to the flow of time. There are three main verb tenses in
English: present, past and future. The past, present and future tenses are divided into four
aspects: the simple, progressive, perfect and perfect progressive. For this search work we are
only going to tackle on the simple past aspect and present perfect aspect.

This paper entitled Simple Past vs. Present Perfect aims to outline the forms of simple past and
present perfect aspects and provided detailed explanation on the usages of each of them. Several
examples and timeline illustrations have been used for better comprehension of the topic at hand.

This work is a result of the Literature Review methodology, so the authors of the resources used
for the production of this work have been cited in the development and on the bibliography.
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1. Simple Past

The simple past (also called Past Simple) is a verb tense which is used to show that a completed
action took place at a specific time in the past. The simple past is also frequently used to talk
about past habits and generalizations.

Alexander (1998:126) states that we use simple past to talk about events, actions or situations
which happened in the past and are now finished. We always have to say (or imply) when the
action happened, so we often use time references like yesterday, ago, last summer, etc.

1.1. Simple Past Forms

The simple past is formed using the verb + ed (for regular verbs). In addition, there are many
verbs with irregular past forms. Questions are made with did and negative forms are made with
did not.

 Statement (Subject + Main verb in the simple past + Object): She washed her car.
 Question (Aux. verb “Did” + Main verb in the infinitive + Object): Did you call Carol?

But questions with who we often don't use did: Who discovered penicillin?/ Who wrote Hamlet?

 Negative (Subject + did not + Main verb in the infinitive + Object): You did not call
Carol.

1.2. Simple Past Uses

The following are the uses of simple past:

1.2.1. Use 1: Completed Action in the Past

We use the simple past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in
the past. We always have to say (or imply) when the action happened, so we often use time
references like yesterday, in 1998, two year ago, last summer, etc. However, sometimes the
speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
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Examples:

 I met my wife in 1983.

 Did you have dinner last night?
 I lived abroad ten years ago.
 They arrived home very late last night.
 We went to Spain for our holiday.
 He didn't wash his car.

1.2.2. Use 2: A Series of Completed Actions

We use the simple past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happened
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.

Examples:

 I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.

 He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at
10:00.

 Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?

1.2.3. Use 3: Duration in the Past

The simple past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. The duration is a
longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for five minutes, for one hour, all day, etc.

Examples:

 They sat at the beach all day.

 They did not stay at the party the entire time.
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 We talked on the phone for thirty minutes.

 A: How long did you wait for them?
B: We waited for one hour.

1.2.4. Use 4: Habits in the Past

The simple past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the
same meaning as “used to”. To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add
expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.

Examples:

 I studied French when I was a child.

 They always enjoyed visiting their friends.
 When I was a boy, I walked a mile to school every day.
 They never went to school, they always skipped class.
 He didn't play the piano so often.
 Did you play a musical instrument when you were a child?

1.2.5. Used 5: Past Facts or Generalizations

The simple past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer
true. As in Use 4 above, this use of the simple past is quite similar to the expression “used to”.

Examples:

 She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing.

 He didn't like tomatoes before.
 Did you live in Texas when you were a child?
 People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.
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2. Present perfect

The present perfect is a verb tense which is used to show that an action has taken place once or
many times before now. The present perfect is most frequently used to talk about experiences or
changes that have taken place, but there are other less common uses as well.

According to Alexander (1998:130) “there are two basic uses of the simple present perfect tense.
We use it to describe:

1. Actions beginning in the past and continuing up to the present moment:

- With time references like before (now), ever, never, so far.

I have received 20 cards so far. I have never tested strawberries (before).
- With since/for. I have lived here since 1980. I have lived here for 20 years.

2. Actions which happened at an unspecified time in the past:

- With no time reference at all: Have you past your driving test? (Depending on context,
this could mean “very recently” or “at any time up to now”.)
- With references to recent time, like just, recently, already, still, yet. I have just eaten.
- Repeated/habitual actions: I’ve watched him on TV several times. I’ve often met her.”

2.1. Present Perfect Forms

The present perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb “has/have” + past participle. The
question form is indicated by inverting the subject and the auxiliary verb “has/have”. Negatives
are made with not.

 Statement (Sub. + has/have + past participle + Object): You have seen that movie
many times.
 Question (Has/have + Sub. + past participle + Object): Have you seen that movie
many times?
 Negative (Sub. + has/have + NOT + past participle + Object): You have not seen that
movie many times.
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2.2. Present Perfect Uses

The following are the uses of simple present perfect tense:

2.2.1. Use 1: Unspecified time before now

We use the present perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The
exact time is not important. We CANNOT use the present perfect with specific time expressions
such as: yesterday, two years ago, last week, when I was a child, at that moment, etc. We CAN
use the present perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times,
several times, before, so far, already and yet.

Examples:

 I have seen that movie twenty times.

 I think I have met him once.
 There have been many earthquakes in California.
 People haven’t traveled to Mars.
 Have you read the book yet?
 Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.
 Has there ever been a war in the United States?

Provided that the concept of “unspecified time” can be a bit confusing to some English learners,
the uses of present perfect have been associated with the following topics:

i. Topic 1: Experience

We can use the present perfect to describe our experience. It is like saying, “I have the
experience of...” We can also use this tense to say that we have never had a certain experience.

Examples:

 Carol has been to France. (This sentence means that Carol has had the experience of
being in France. Maybe she has been there once, or several times.)
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 He has never travelled by train. (This sentence means that he has not had the experience
of travelling by train.)

ii. Topic 2: Change Over Time

We often use the present perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.
Examples:

 You have grown since the last time I saw you.

 The government has become more interested in arts education.
 Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university since the Asian
studies program was established.
 My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.

iii. Topic 3: Accomplishments

We often use the present perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. We
cannot mention a specific time.

Examples:

 Man has walked on the Moon.

 Our son has learned how to read.
 Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.
 Scientists have split the atom.

iv. Topic 4: An uncompleted action we are expecting

We often use the present perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened.
Using the present perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to happen.

Examples:

 James has not finished his homework yet.

 Susan hasn't mastered English, but she can communicate.
 Bill has still not arrived.
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 The rain hasn't stopped.

v. Topic 5: Multiple actions at different times

We also use the present perfect to talk about several different actions which have occurred in the
past at different times. Present perfect suggests the process is not complete and more actions are
possible.

Examples:

 The army has attacked that city five times.

 I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.
 We have had many major problems while working on this project.
 She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody knows why she is
sick.
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Conclusion

Reaching to the conclusion of this work, we concluded that simple past is used to talk about
events, actions or situations which took place at a specific time in the past and are now finished,
whereas, the present perfect is a verb tense which is used to show that an action has taken place
at an unspecified time in the past.

We can use the present perfect to describe our experience. It is like saying, “I have the
experience of...”; to talk about change that has happened over a period of time; to list the
accomplishments of individuals and humanity without mentioning a specific time; to say that an
action which we expected has not happened and to talk about several different actions which
have occurred in the past at different times.
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Bibliography

Alexander, L., (1998) Longman English Grammar Practice, New York, Longman

Altenberg, E. and Vago, R., (2010), English Grammar, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

Azar, B., (2003) Fundamentals of English Grammar, White Plains, New York, Longman

Eastwood, J., (1999) Oxford Practice Grammar, Oxford, Oxford University Press

Murphy, R., (2012) English Grammar In Use, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press