Present Perfect and Past
Simple
Introduction
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Lead-in
What tenses or structures can we use for talking about the past in English?
Write your answers in the chat.
Past simple (did)
Present perfect (have done)
Past continuous (was doing)
Past perfect simple (had done) / past perfect continuous (had been doing)
Modal verb (can do >> could do)
Modal perfect (should / could have done)
Used to + verb (used to do)
Third conditional (if I had done it, I wouldn’t have failed the course)
English Online | [Link]
Meaning and Form: Present Perfect with for and since
We use the present perfect for something that started in the past and continues
in the present:
• They have lived here since 2011 / for ten years. (= this is still true)
Past 2011 Present Future
We form the present perfect in this way:
subject + have / has + past participle
English Online | [Link]
Use: for and since
three days last summer 2002
nine years
for since
(a period of ten minutes (a specific
time / a
point in time)
duration)
yesterday November
a week two hours
last Tuesday
English Online | [Link]
Check your understanding
For or since?
• February = since (a point in the past)
• 2 weeks = for (a period of time)
• a year = for (a period of time)
• last year = since (a point in the past)
We have been here …
• FOR 13 minutes
• SINCE 11am
English Online | [Link]
Meaning, Form and Use: Past Simple with ago
ago = before now
*I went on holiday three months ago. (= three months before now).
I saw her ten minutes ago. (= ten minutes before now).
They lived here fifty years ago. (= fifty years before now)
We use ago with the past simple (finished/had/was/ate etc.).
I went on holiday in October = I went on holiday three months ago.
English Online | [Link]
Check your understanding
True or false
• Ago = before now = true
• Ago is used with present perfect = No!
• I went since 5 minutes ago
English Online | [Link]
Key point: difference between Present Perfect and Past
Simple
Compare:
q 1. When did she last visit Philadelphia?
She visited Philadelphia three months ago. (=she’s now somewhere else)
q 2. How long has she been in Philadelphia?
She has been in Philadelphia since January. (= she’s still in Philadelphia)
Grammar tip:
With since, use the Present Perfect.
With ago or an exact date in the past, use the Past Simple.
English Online | [Link]
Grammar Checkout
Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets (…) in the chat.
Past simple or present perfect?
1. Lisa and I ______ (know) each other since we were at school together.
2. Since he finished university, my brother ______ (work) in five different
countries.
3. They last ______ (come) here ten years ago.
English Online | [Link]
Grammar Checkout- Answers
Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets (…) in the chat.
Past simple or present perfect?
1. Lisa and I have known each other since we were at school together. =
(started in the past, still true)
2. Since he finished university, my brother has worked in five different
countries. (= ‘life experience’ – he still works = from past to now /
unfinished)
3. They last came here ten years ago. (= refers to a past event/action that
is not connected to now)
English Online | [Link]
Thank you for attending this
presentation!
Review the next few slides for lessons linked to this Live25 webinar.
[Link]
perfect
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