Spring 2001

Present Perfect Versus Past Tenseby Buthaina Al-Othman

Use present perfect to show that something is still true now.

Ex:“My friend has lived in Kuwait all his life.”(He is still living here; still true now)

AlOthman, Buthaina

Use past tense to talk about something that is no longer true now.

Ex: “Marilyn Monroe lived in L.A. all her life.”(She doesn’t live anymore there; she died; no longer true now)

Spring 2001

To Introduce the General Idea

• Use present perfect tense to introduce the general idea.

• Use the simple past to give specific details.

Ex:“Marilyn Monroe has been dead since 1962, she had many friends and four husbands.”

AlOthman, Buthaina

Spring 2001

When to Use the Present Perfect

• Use the present perfect when you talk about something that happened in the past but do not mention the specific time it happened. The experience is more important than when it happened.

Ex:“Marilyn Monroe has played the leading role in many movies”.

AlOthman, Buthaina

Spring 2001

With For and Since

• For is used to show length of time (how long the period of time was).

• For two weeks• For ten years• For five months

Ex: “She has lived in L.A for 36 years.”

• Since is used to show when a period of time began.

• Since 1989• Since I turned 39• Since May

Ex: “She has lived in L.A since 1926.”

AlOthman, Buthaina