LEVEL 2 INSTITUTO DE IDIOMAS UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA LEVEL 2 INSTITUTO DE IDIOMAS UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA LEVEL 2

PAST SIMPLE / PRESENT PERFECT

1. The Present Perfect is a present tense form and is used to talk about present facts, or the present state or result of a past action. It is never used with expressions of past time. Ive made spaghetti for lunch. (i.e. There is spaghetti for lunch.) I havent done my homework. (i.e. I dont have any homework to give you.) Ive bought a new dress. (i.e. I have a new dress.) Ive lost my keys. (i.e. I dont know when or where I lost them, but I havent got them now.) 2. However, to talk about the circumstances of the action and to ask questions about them, we use the Past Simple: Did you use tinned or fresh tomato for the spaghetti sauce? I didnt do my homework because I had to study for another exam. Where did you buy the dress? When did you last use your keys? 3. We use the Past Simple in these cases even if the action is very recent: --Thats 30, please. --Sorry, did you say 30 or 13? 4. The Present Perfect is used to talk about experience (at an unspecified time in the past) during a present period of time, sometimes stated Ive had three exams this week. and sometimes implied, especially with ever and never: Have you ever been to Greece? (i.e. at some time in your life) - No, and Ive never been to Italy either. But be careful with the implied time reference: (At 3 p.m.) Im hungry. I havent had lunch. but (At 9 p.m.) Im going to have a big dinner. Im very hungry because I didnt have lunch today. (Today still continues but lunchtime has finished.) 5. We also use the Present Perfect with just to talk about very recent actions: Peter has just phoned. (But to talk about the details, as always, we continue in the Past Simple:) What did he want? He said he cant come this evening. 6. Other expressions used with the Present Perfect are already and yet: Dont buy any butter this afternoon. Ive already bought some. Its too early to go out. I havent had breakfast yet. (Im going to have it now.) Have you seen Lord of the Rings yet? (Im sure youre going to see the film some time.) Compare: Has John phoned? (I dont know if he is going to phone.) Has John phoned yet? (Either he said he was going to phone, or he usually phones.) N.B. All of the above reflects British usage. In many cases, the Americans use the Past Simple when the British use the Present Perfect.

7. Present Perfect with for and since: We also use the Present Perfect to talk about the duration of actions which began in the past and continue in the present. We use for with a period of time to indicate the duration of the action and since with the point in time when the action began: I have a watch. Ive had it for three years. Ive had it since 1999.

LEVEL 2 INSTITUTO DE IDIOMAS UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA LEVEL 2 INSTITUTO DE IDIOMAS UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA LEVEL 2

I think I have delirium tremens. I havent had a drink for three hours. I havent had a drink since lunchtime. 8. We use How long . . ? to ask questions: How long have you been here? - For half an hour / Since 9:30. Notes a. You cannot use the present simple in these cases, i.e. you must say I have known him for 3 years, not I know him for three years. b. You cannot use since .. ago instead of for, i.e. you must say I have worked here for three years, not I have worked here since three years ago. c. You cannot use Since when ? instead of How long ? Since when have you lived in Seville? d. You can use a subordinate clause in the Past Simple after since, e.g. I have lived in this house since I was ten. e. Do not confuse How long ..? + Present Perfect with How long ago ..? + Past Simple. e.g. How long have you been here? - For half an hour. How long ago did you arrive? - Half an hour ago. f. You can only use since with the Present Perfect. For can be used with the Present Perfect for actions which are still continuing, and with the Past Simple for actions which have finished. Compare: Jose Luis Rodrguez Zapatero has been President of Spain for 5 years (and he is still President). He has been President since 2004. Jos M Aznar was President of Spain for eight years (but he isnt the President now). He was President from 1996 to 2004. g. Do not confuse for, which answers the question How long . . ? with during, which answers the question When . . ? h. We do not use for with expressions such as all day, all week etc. e.g. Im very hungry. I havent had anything to eat all day. i. British and American usage is the same with for and since.

FINAL NOTE: WHEN IN DOUBT, USE THE PAST SIMPLE. EXERCISES: A. Put the verb in brackets into the correct tense, incorporating adverbs in the correct place. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. He (do) the exam three times, but he (yet / pass) it. I (wait) for the bus for 15 minutes, but it (come), so I (take) a taxi. I (already / read) that book. I (like) it very much. (you / ever / eat) curry? Yes, I (have) it once at the Indian Pavilion in the Expo. Ouch! I (just / cut) my finger! How (you / do) that? What (you / do) over Christmas? Oh, I (have) a wonderful time.

B. Translate into English: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Desde cundo trabajas aqu? - Desde que termin la carrera. No hemos visto la Giralda todava. Dnde has encontrado las llaves? Hace tres meses que no fumo. Llevo 10 aos estudiando ingls pero no s nada. Acabo de ver a David. Hemos tomado caf juntos. No quiero comer nada. He desayunado muy tarde. Alguien ha roto esta silla. Quin ha sido?