Present PerfectPresent PerfectSimple Simple

vs vs Past SimplePast Simple

Present PerfectPresent PerfectSimple Simple

vs vs Past SimplePast Simple

What’s the difference between……?

Mary lived in Switzerland for a year.

Mary has lived in Switzerland for a year.

The Simple Past is used to refer to asituation that started and finished inthe past. It is finished.

According to that, in the first example,Mary isn’t living in Switzerland at

present.

On the other hand, the On the other hand, the Present Present perfectperfect tense is used to refer to a tense is used to refer to a

situation that situation that started in the past but started in the past but continues in the present. It isn’t continues in the present. It isn’t

finishedfinishedSo, as far as the second sentence is So, as far as the second sentence is concerned, concerned, at presentat present Mary Mary is still is still

livingliving in Switzerland. in Switzerland.

On the other hand, the On the other hand, the Present Present perfectperfect tense is used to refer to a tense is used to refer to a

situation that situation that started in the past but started in the past but continues in the present. It isn’t continues in the present. It isn’t

finishedfinishedSo, as far as the second sentence is So, as far as the second sentence is concerned, concerned, at presentat present Mary Mary is still is still

livingliving in Switzerland. in Switzerland.

What’s the difference between….?

Mary went to the USA when she was a child.

Mary has been to the USA.

The simple past tense is used to refer to The simple past tense is used to refer to a completed action that took place at a a completed action that took place at a

particular time in the past and particular time in the past and completed situations which were true completed situations which were true over a definite period of time in the over a definite period of time in the past. The use of specific past-time past. The use of specific past-time

adverbials (e.g., adverbials (e.g., yesterdayyesterday, , last yearlast year, , 19901990) makes the past tense ) makes the past tense

obligatoryobligatory..

The simple past tense is used to refer to The simple past tense is used to refer to a completed action that took place at a a completed action that took place at a

particular time in the past and particular time in the past and completed situations which were true completed situations which were true over a definite period of time in the over a definite period of time in the past. The use of specific past-time past. The use of specific past-time

adverbials (e.g., adverbials (e.g., yesterdayyesterday, , last yearlast year, , 19901990) makes the past tense ) makes the past tense

obligatoryobligatory..

Present perfect is used to refer to events which have taken

place in our life up to now but the time when they exactlyhappened is not mentioned.

Adverbials such as ever, already (before now/earlierthan expected), yet/still (not up to now butexpected to happen) and just (a short time ago) usually

go withperfect tense.

Look at the following time phrases and

decide if they are used with simple past, present perfect or

both

Up to nowIn the last

century

During Kennedy’s

lifetime

Over the last hundred

years or so

For three months

Three months ago

Lately RecentlyThis is the first time I

Today Throughout the 17th century

Since the Vietnam War

Within the last three months

SIMPLE PAST

In the last centuryduring Kennedy’s lifetimeThree months agoThroughout the 17th century

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

Up to nowOver the last hundred years or soThis is the first time ILatelySince the Vietnam WarWithin the last three months

Either Past Simple or Present Perfect Simple

• For three months• Recently• Today

What’s the difference between….?

Paula broke her finger yesterday.

Look at Peter, he’s broken his finger!

The simple past is used when giving older information.

The present perfect is often used when giving recent news.

To summarise

Past simple is used by speakers to talk about past events which are, or which they regard as, finished and which took place at a particular time in the past.

Present perfect is used by speakers to talk about events which are still current, or which they want to highlight as being incomplete or still relevant as well as to refer to experiences without mentioning when they happened.

It can also refer to an event which has recently finished.

Present perfect or simple past?

1. Joji ______ (live) in Tokyo for five years, but he left in 1993. lived 2. The Titanic ________(sink) in 1912. sank

3. Gerry ________ (fall) off his bike three times this month. has fallen

4. Chika ________ (graduate) from university last July. graduated

5. I ________ (see) the movie Titanic three times. I'm going to see it again tonight. have seen

6. Somebody ________(steal) my bicycle! Now I'll have to walk home. has stolen

How do you pronounce the following verbs?

Played /d/

Worked /t/

Wanted /d/

What are the rules?There are three rules we should take into account to know how topronounce the –ed ending:

Rule 1: If a present tense verb ends with the sound of a voiced consonant or a vowel sound, the pronunciation in past tense is /d/

Rule 2: If the present tense verb ends with the sound of a voiceless consonant sound (f, k, s, x, sh, ch, or p), the pronunciation in past tense is /t/

Rule 3: If the present tense verb ends with the sound of /t/ or /d/ consonant sound, the pronunciation in past tense is always /id/

Note: it’s the ending sound, not spelling that determines pronunciation.

Which sounds are voiced and which ones voiceless?

ExceptionsThe following -ed words used as adjectives are pronounced

with /Id/:

• aged /’eɪ.dʒɪd/ (old) • blessed /’bles.ɪd/ (literary: bringing you happiness, luck, or something you need) • crooked /’krʊk.ɪd/ (not forming a straight line; having many sharp bends)• dogged /’dɒg.ɪd/ (very determined to do something, even if it is very difficult)• learned /’lɜː.nɪd/ (formal: describes someone who has studied for a long time and

has a lot of knowledge) • naked /’neɪ.kɪd/ (not covered by clothes) • ragged /’ræg.ɪd/ ((of clothes) not in good condition; torn, (of a person) untidy,

dirty and wearing old torn clothes • wicked /’wɪk.ɪd/ (old-fashioned: morally wrong and bad ,slightly immoral or bad

for you, but in an attractive way) • wretched /’retʃ.ɪd/ (unhappy, unpleasant or of low quality ;used to express

anger;very ill or very unhappy

Classify the following verbs according to the pronunciation of the

-ed

Loved,wished,lockedopened,ended,walke

d,laughed, breathed,failed, handed

/d/ /t/ /id/LovedOpenedBreathedFailed

WishedLockedWalkedLaughed

Endedhanded

Read the following sentences

She mailed the letter. They finished early. He deposited it. John listened. The boss talked. The team rested. The plumber repaired it. She stopped working. He waited. It tasted great! I finished late, so I called and ordered food for home.

What’s the difference between….?

They have been reading a book about witches

They have read a book about witches

When we use present perfect continuous, we When we use present perfect continuous, we are interested in the action and,usually, this are interested in the action and,usually, this

is not finished.is not finished.

On the contrary, if we use present perfect On the contrary, if we use present perfect simple we are more interested in the result simple we are more interested in the result

and the action is usually finished.and the action is usually finished.

What’s the difference between….?

• I have done three exercises so far this evening.

• I have been doing exercises since this morning.

• We have visited six countries since we left three months ago.

• We have been travelling for three months.

To express how much of an To express how much of an activity has been done, not how activity has been done, not how

long, we use present perfect.long, we use present perfect.On the other hand, when we On the other hand, when we only mention how long the only mention how long the

tense is the continuous one.tense is the continuous one.