📘 Past Simple vs Present Perfect: A Complete Guide
The Past Simple and the Present Perfect tenses are often confused because they both refer to past actions. However, they have different meanings and uses. This guide explains the key differences with examples and a clear comparison table.
✅ 1. Basic Form
- Past Simple: Subject + past form of the verb
- Present Perfect: Subject + have/has + past participle (V3)
🧠 2. Key Differences Explained
🔸 A. Time Reference
Past Simple refers to a completed action in the past, often with a definite time (e.g., yesterday, in 2020).
Present Perfect refers to an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past, often connected to the present.
- I watched that movie last night. ✅ (Past Simple)
- I have watched that movie. ✅ (Present Perfect, no specific time)
🔸 B. Result vs Completed Event
Present Perfect focuses on the result in the present.
Past Simple focuses on the event as completed in the past.
- I have lost my phone. (I don’t have it now – result is important)
- I lost my phone last week. (The event is in the past – it’s over)
🔸 C. Unfinished vs Finished Time
Use Past Simple with finished time expressions.
Use Present Perfect with time periods that are still continuing.
- He went to Japan in 2019. ✅ (Finished time)
- He has been to Japan this year. ✅ (Time period is still ongoing)
🔸 D. Life Experience
Use Present Perfect to talk about experiences (time not mentioned).
Use Past Simple if you give a specific time.
- She has travelled to five countries. ✅
- She travelled to France last summer. ✅
📊 3. Comparison Table
| Feature | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Subject + past verb | Subject + have/has + V3 |
| Time Reference | Specific time (e.g., yesterday, in 2010) | Unspecified time (e.g., just, ever, already) |
| Focus | The action/event in the past | Result or connection to now |
| Time Expressions | yesterday, last week, in 2005 | just, already, yet, ever, never, since, for |
| Examples | She wrote the email yesterday. | She has written the email. |
📝 4. Summary of Usage
- Use Past Simple for actions completed at a known time in the past.
- Use Present Perfect when the time is not mentioned or the action has relevance to the present.
- Avoid using Present Perfect with finished time expressions like "yesterday" or "last year".
🧠 5. Quick Practice Sentences
- I went to that museum in 2022. ✅ (Past Simple)
- I have gone to that museum. ✅ (Present Perfect – experience, no time)
- She has broken her leg. (Present result)
- She broke her leg last month. (Past event)
🌤️ Instruction:
Give the correct Past Simple or Present Perfect forms of the verbs in brackets.
✍️ Exercise (20 Sentences):
- I (never eat) sushi before, but I’m open to trying it.
- We (attend) a wedding in Yangon two months ago, and it was beautiful.
- She (already finish) the assignment, so she doesn’t need more time.
- They (not reply) to our message since we (send) it last Friday.
- (You / ever be) to Bagan during the hot season?
- I (see) that film when it (come) out last year.
- My parents (live) in this town for over thirty years.
- He (not call) me back after I (leave) him a voicemail yesterday.
- We (visit) the Shwedagon Pagoda last November.
- (You / finish) the report yet, or are you still working on it?
- I (read) three books so far this month.
- She (not see) her cousin since they (go) to different schools.
- We (not travel) abroad last year because of financial issues.
- I (not speak) to the director yet about your idea.
- He (break) his leg when he (slip) on the wet floor.
- (You / ever hear) of that local author before today?
- The teacher (give) us extra exercises yesterday.
- I (already choose) a topic for my essay.
- She (leave) the company in 2020, and we (not hear) from her since.
- We (not visit) the new museum yet, but we’re planning to go this weekend.