Difference b/w Present Perfect and Past Indefinite

Difference b/w Present Perfect and Past Indefinite

Remember:

≫ We use the past simple for past actions which have no connection to the present. (finished past time)

≫ We use present perfect to show a link between the present and past, and the action is discontinued (due to any reason) or the action is finished.

For basic usage of

Past Simple (Past indefinite) click here

Present Perfect click here

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

(i) past simple (finished past time) yesterday, last week, in 1994, in 2018, a hundred years ago

SUPPOSE TODAY IS FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Past indefinite (finished past time)	Present perfect
I went there yesterday. (finished past time) I went there on February 9, 2019.	I have gone there.
She packed her case last night. (finished past time)	She has packed her case. (= her things are in the case now.)
It rained yesterday.	The rain has stopped. (discontinued) (it is possible the rain may fall again.)
The plane landed ten minutes ago.	The plane has just landed.
In 2018… We won the prize last year.	In 2019… We have won the prize!
He produced many dramas in his long careers. (= He produced dramas means that his career is over. He will not produce any more.)	He has produced three dramas so far. (= He has produced dramas means that it is possible he will produce more dramas.)

↷ Have you seen today’s newspaper?

↷ It has not rained today.

(we are talking about February 10, 2019)

(ii) Read these lines

Aslam: We have bought a new house.

Yaqoob: When did you buy?

Aslam: We bought it last week.

We often give new information in the present perfect, We've bought a new house (The house is ours now.). We use the past simple, e.g. We bought it last week, to give details or to ask for details about things such as when and where it happened.

Here are some more examples.
↷ I've found my keys. ~ Oh, good. Where did you find it?
↷ His pizza has arrived. ~ The rider brought it at seven o'clock.

INTERMEDIATE PLUS

(i) Present Perfect + since + Past Indefinite

↷ I've worked here since I left college.
↷ I've played the guitar since I was a teenager.

BE CAREFUL!

We do not use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a finished past time: yesterday, last week / last month / last year, in 2017, when I was younger etc. These are past indefinite adverbials

Read these lines:

↷ He has seen that film yesterday.

He saw that film yesterday. (Past Indefinite)

↷ We have just bought a new car last week.

We bought a new car last week. (Past Indefinite)

↷ When we were children we have been to Islamabad.

When we were children we went to Islamabad. (Past Indefinite)

but we can use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a time which is not yet finished: today, this week/month/year, already, etc

↷ Have you seen Maria today?

↷ We have bought a new car this week.

↷ It has happened several times already.

(ii) ever, never, already, just, by now, recently, so far, by now, until now etc.

We often use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to the recent past.

≫ “ever” means “in your whole life up to the present time”

≫ “Never” means “not ever”

↷ Their last college function was the worst day they have ever had.

↷ We have never seen that film.

↷ Have you ever met the chairman of our club? Yes, but I've never met his son.

≫ “Just” means “a short time ago”

≫ “Already” means “sooner than expected”

Nabeel: I have just heard about a new motivational speaker. Have you bought a ticket yet?

Aslam: We are too late. They have already sold all the tickets.

(= They sold the tickets very quickly.)

≫ We use yet when we are expecting
something to happen. Nabeel expects that
Aslam will buy a ticket.

≫ Just and already come before the past
participle.

≫ Yet comes at the end of a question or a negative sentence.

↷ It isn't a very good party. Most people have already gone home.

↷ I've just had an idea.

↷ They've just returned from journey.
↷ It's eleven o'clock and she hasn't finished breakfast yet.
↷ Have you bought a ticket yet?

Read these examples

↷ He has played cricket before.

↷ He played cricket at school.

↷ Have you ever been to England? ~ Yes, twice.

↷ Did Aslam ever go to England? ~ Yes, I think so.

Confusion gone to or been to click here

MORE INTERMEDIATE EXAMPLES

(i) Read this reference

[Reference: (Second Edition) Oxford Practice Grammar by John Eastwood Unit 15]

(ii) But sometimes today etc can mean a past period. Compare:

I haven't seen Rachel today.
(= It's still daytime.)

I didn't see Sarah at work today.
(= The working day is over.)

Has the post come this morning?

(= It's still morning.)

Did the post come this morning?
(= It's later in the day.)