Present perfect or past simple?
Both tenses talk about the past, and many languages use one tense where English uses these two. The choice depends on time: is it finished, or does it connect to now?
Most learners get the forms right long before they get the choice right. The rule of thumb below covers most everyday sentences; the lessons go through the exceptions and the differences between British and American English.
The essentials
- A finished time takes the past simple: I lived in Lisbon in 2019. She called yesterday.
- An unfinished time, or no time at all, takes the present perfect: I've lived here for five years. Have you ever been to Japan?
- A past action with a result now takes the present perfect: I've lost my keys (I can't get in).
- Once you say when, switch to the past simple: Have you been to Canada? Yes, I went there last summer.
- For and since say how long: for three years, since 2021. With an action still going on, use the present perfect continuous: I've been waiting for an hour.
Every lesson on this topic
Each lesson has a full explanation, examples, common mistakes and practice questions.
A2 (English at A2)
- What did you do? The past simple: Regular and irregular past forms, and questions and negatives with did
B1 (English at B1)
- Have you ever…? Talking about experiences: The present perfect for things you have or haven't done in your life, and been vs gone
- I've lived or I lived? Present perfect and past simple: Finished time takes the past simple; unfinished time and results now take the present perfect
- for, since and how long: the present perfect continuous: Say how long something has been happening, and choose between I've been doing and I've done
- just, already, still and yet: news and progress: Give news and talk about what's done and what isn't, with the word in the right place
Other topics
- Talking about the past: English past tenses
- English conditionals: first, second, third and mixed
- English modal verbs: must, have to, should and more
- Talking about the future in English
- The passive in English
- Reported speech and reporting verbs
- Relative clauses: who, which, that, whose
- Linking words: although, despite, however, whereas
- -ing or to? Verb patterns in English
- Formal, professional and academic English
- Emphasis in English: inversion and cleft sentences