Unit 14. Present Perfect and Past (2) (I have done and I did)
(настоящее совершенное и простое прошедшее времена 2)
Do not use the Present Perfect (I have done) when you talk about a finished time (for example, yesterday/ ten minutes ago/ in 1985/ when I was a child). Use a past tense:
- The weather was nice yesterday. (not has been nice)
- They arrived ten minutes ago. (not have arrived)
- I ate a lot of sweets when I was a child. (not have eaten)
- A: Did you see the news on television last night? (not Have you seen)
- B: No, I went to bed early. (not have gone)
- When did they arrive? (not have they arrived)
- What time did you finish work?
Present perfect
Here, we are not thinking of the past action. We are thinking of the present result of the action: Tom doesn't have his key now. |
Past simple
Here, we are thinking of the action in the past. We don't know from this sentence whether Tom has his key now. |
Compare Present Perfect and Past:
Present Perfect (have done)
![]()
The Present Perfect always has a connection with now. See Unit 7. Present Perfect (1) (I have done) See Unit 8. Present Perfect (2) (I have done) See Unit 9. Present Perfect Continuous (I have been doing) See Unit 10. Present Perfect Continuous and Simple (I have been doing and I have done) See Unit 11. How long have you (been)…? See Unit 12. When…? and How long…? For and since |
Past Simple (did)
![]()
The Past Simple tells us only about the past. See Unit 5. Past Simple (I did) See Unit 6. Past Сontinuous (I was doing) |
See Unit 13. Present Perfect and Past (1) (I have done and I did)
(настоящее совершенное и простое прошедшее времена 1). хостинг для сайтов © Langust Agency 1999-2025, ссылка на сайт обязательна