|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Home -
Grammar - Everyday Grammar - Simple Past and Present Perfect |
|
| Simple Past and Present Perfect |
|
| |
 Simple
Past and Present Perfect
The lesson includes a video program, an audio program
explaining this grammar topic, the script for the audio
program, a words in this story section,
and other important information. |
Video Program
Watch the video program explaining this grammar topic.
Then listen to the audio program explaining this grammar topic. |
Audio Program
Listen to the audio program explaining this grammar
topic. Then read the following written information. |
|
|
Simple Past and Present Perfect |
In this week’s episode of Everyday Grammar we’re going
to help you understand the difference between the simple
past and the present perfect. English learners often
confuse these two verb tenses.
Let’s start with an example. Can you tell the difference
between these two sentences?
Sentence one: I saw the movie.
Sentence two: I have seen the movie.
Sentence one uses the simple past tense. Sentence two
uses the present perfect tense.
“I saw the movie” and “I have seen the movie” both refer
to an action that was finished in the past. But there is
one important difference: “I saw the movie” suggests
that you saw the movie at a specific time in the past.
“I have seen the movie” suggests that you saw the movie
at an unknown time in the past.
Use the simple past to talk about a finished action that
happened at a specific time. For example, “I went out
with my friends last night.” The adverb “last night” is
not required, but it does help clarify that the event
happened at a specific time.
That’s the easy part. Now let’s talk about the present
perfect. You form the present perfect by using “have” or
“has” followed by the past participle form of the verb.
For example, “I have graduated from college.” The
present perfect confuses English learners because it
refers to a past action. It is also called “present
perfect” because speakers use it to stress the
importance of a past event in the present. The sentence
“I have graduated from college,” emphasizes the present
effect of a past event -- graduation. The exact time of
the graduation is not important.
There are four more common situations that require the
present perfect.
First, it can express a repeated action. When an action
happened more than one time in the past, use the present
perfect. For example, “I have seen the movie three
times”.
Second, it is common to use the present perfect with the
words “for” and “since.” “For” and “since” are adverbs
that tell about the duration of an activity. They answer
the question “how long?” For example, “I have studied
English for a long time”.
Third, the negative adverb “never” requires the present
perfect. You can say, “I have never been to France.” You
would not say, “I did never go to France.”
Finally, when asking a question in the present perfect,
use “ever,” as in, “Have you ever won the lottery?”
Listen for the present perfect question in this song by
the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival.
I wanna know have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know have you ever seen the rain
Coming down on a sunny day?
In an informal situation, you can take out the word
“have” in a present perfect question. Listen to actor
Jack Nicholson playing the Joker in the 1989 movie
Batman. Before the Joker takes his victims, he asks them
an unusual question.
Tell me something, my friend. You ever danced with the devil
in the pale moonlight?
Here’s a tip: pay close attention to adverbs. Adverbs
give hints, or clues, about which verb tense you should
use. Take a look at the reference list below.
A good way to practice the present perfect is to ask an
English-speaking friend if he or she has ever done
something. “Have you ever flown in an airplane?” or
“Have you ever seen the Grand Canyon?” You could even
ask something more profound like, “Have you ever seen
the rain coming down on a sunny day?”
I wanna know have you ever seen the rain
Coming down on a sunny day?
I’m Ashley Thompson.
And I’m Jonathan Evans.
Adam Brock wrote and produced this story for VOA
Learning English. Jill Robbins was the editor. |
|
|
Words in This Story |
- simple
past tense – n.
the basic form of the past tense in English. It is
used to describe events that finished at a specific
time in the past
- present
perfect tense – n.
A grammatical combination of the present tense and
the perfect aspect, used to express a past event
that has present consequences
-
unspecified – adj.
not specified or particular
- clarify
– v. to make
(something) clear or clearer: such as
- duration
–n. the length of time
that something exists or lasts
- victim
– n. a person who has
been attacked, injured, robbed, or killed by someone
else
- pale
– adj. light in color
- profound
– adj. having or
showing great knowledge or understanding
|
|
|
Additional Information |
Reference
Forming the present perfect
Have/has + past participle verb
Ex. I have proven her theory.
Ex. She has gotten promoted.
Common adverbs in the simple past: last night, last
year, yesterday, today, ago, first, then, later, when
Ex. Yesterday morning, I went to the store.
Ex. When I lived in Boston, I worked at a deli.
Common adverbs in the present perfect: before, after,
already, yet, for, since, recently, still, time
Ex. I have already eaten.
Ex. I have already visited Angola three times.
Tip 1: Be careful of irregular verbs in the present
perfect. With irregular verbs, the simple past and the
past participle form are usually different.
INCORRECT: I have already did it.
CORRECT: I have already done it.
Tip 2: Make sure to use “has” for the third person in
the present perfect.
INCORRECT: She have not read the book yet.
CORRECT: She has not read the book yet. |
|
Source: Voice of America |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grammar Tips |
Can You Catch These Native Speaker Mistakes?
(Beginner - Listening)
An audio lesson to
help with your understanding of common mistakes. The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this
audio program. |
Commonly Confused Words: Part One
(Beginner - Listening,
reading)
A video lesson to
help with your understanding of commonly confused
words.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Click here to visit the lesson page. |
Commonly Confused Words: Part One
(Beginner - Listening)
An audio lesson to
help with your understanding of commonly confused
words. The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this
audio program. |
Commonly Confused Words: Part Two
(Beginner - Listening,
reading)
A video lesson to
help with your understanding of commonly confused
words.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Click here to visit the lesson page. |
Commonly Confused Words: Part Two
(Beginner - Listening)
An audio lesson to
help with your understanding of commonly confused
words. The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this
audio program. |
|
|
|
|
Search Fun Easy English |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
About
Contact
Copyright
Resources
Site Map |
