Use
In British
English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As
soon as a time expression in the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If
there are no signal words, you must decide if we just talk about an action in
the past or if its consequence in the present is important. Note that the
following explanations and exercises refer to British English only.
-Do you want to
express that an action happened at a certain time in the past (even if it was
just a few seconds ago) or that an action has just / already / not yet
happened?
Simple Past ---àcertain time in the past
I phoned Mary
2 minutes ago.
Present Perfect Simple---à indefinite time in the past just / already / not yet
I have just
phoned Mary.
-Do you want
to express when a certain action took place or whether / how often an action
has happened till now?
Simple Past: He went to Canada last summer.
Present Perfect Simple: Have you ever been to Canada? / I have been to Canada
twice.
-Emphasis on action or result?
Do you just
want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to emphasize the
result (a past action's consequence in the present)?
Simple Past--à Emphasis on action
I bought a new
bike. (just telling what I did in the past.)
Present Perfect Simple--àEmphasis on the result
I have bought
a new bike. (With this sentence I actually want to express that I have a new
bike now.)
Signal Words
Simple Past----à yesterday ago in
2008 the other day last ...
when…
Present
Perfect Simple--à just already
up to now /so far until/till now ever
(not) yet
lately / recently
