Level: B1
Present Perfect vs Simple Past — Practice
The biggest ESL tense confusion. Use simple past for actions at a specific finished time; use present perfect when the time is unspecified or the action still matters now. 28 click-to-hear ESL examples.
Builds on Perfect Tenses Next in unit Future Forms →
- Simple past — specific past time
- I saw him yesterday. – Simple past
- She visited Paris in 2018. – Simple past
- He went to the store an hour ago. – Simple past
- They arrived last night. – Simple past
- We finished dinner at 8. – Simple past
- I called her yesterday. – Simple past
- She moved here in 2020. – Simple past
- He graduated two years ago. – Simple past
- Present perfect — unspecified time / life experience
- I have seen that movie. – Present perfect
- She has visited Paris three times. – Present perfect
- Have you ever been to Japan? – Present perfect
- He has never tried sushi. – Present perfect
- I have read many books on this topic. – Present perfect
- She has worked with many famous people. – Present perfect
- Present perfect — for / since (continuing)
- I have lived here for 10 years. – Present perfect
- She has known him since 2015. – Present perfect
- They have worked together for years. – Present perfect
- I have studied English since childhood. – Present perfect
- Present perfect — just / already / yet
- I have just finished my homework. – Present perfect
- She has already left. – Present perfect
- They have not arrived yet. – Present perfect
- I have just eaten lunch. – Present perfect
- Compare — same situation, different tense
- I visited Rome last year. – Simple past
- I have visited Rome three times. – Present perfect
- She lived in Paris for five years. – Simple past
- She has lived in Paris for five years. – Present perfect
- He worked here from 2010 to 2015. – Simple past
- He has worked here since 2015. – Present perfect