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In some cases, it doesn’t matter if you use the Present Perfect or the Simple Past:

Examples:

John has gone home.
John went home.

However, if you include a finished time (yesterday, a week ago, last month, last year, etc.), then you must use the Simple Past:

Examples:

John went home last night. (not “John has gone home last night.”)
Where did you go yesterday? (not “Where have you gone yesterday?”)
Yesterday we ate breakfast at Tiffany’s. (not “Yesterday we have eaten breakfast at Tiffany’s.”)

Also recall from a few days ago: When you are talking about the past until now, then you must use the Present Perfect:

Have you ever eaten squid? (until now)
We’ve lived in Dallas for three years. (we still live there now)

Exercises: Use the words in parentheses to make the sentence either present perfect or simple past.

Example:

(you / ever / go) skiing? ==> Have you ever gone skiing?
(you / go) skiing last year? ==> Did you go skiing last year?

1. Tom (lose) his key. Can you help him find it?
2. I’ve been looking for you. Where (you / be)?
3. What (you / eat) for lunch yesterday?
4. Matt (take) piano lessons since he was eight years old.
5. Last week we (get) a lot of snow.
6. I (travel) around the world, but I (never / taste) anything as delicious as this barbecue.
7. This morning I (exercise) before I went to school.
8. Mother (make) a delicious dinner for tonight’s party.
9. (you / ever / have) Mr. Smith as a teacher?
10. Where (you / live) ten years ago?

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There are three adverbs that are often used together with the Present Perfect and the Simple Past: just, already, and yet.

just = “a short time ago”

Examples:

Tom just came home from school.
Tom’s just come home from school.
Sally’s not here – she just left a few minutes ago.
Come in! I just finished cleaning the kitchen.
It’s weird that Mark called me – I was just thinking about him.

already = “before you/I expected”

Examples:

The children have already done their homework, and are now playing in the back yard.
I already baked a cake for tomorrow night’s party.
John’s in bed already. He got up at 5:30 this morning, so he was pretty tired.
Hello, Mr. Smith. I do believe we’ve already met.
Hurry up and get dressed! The guests have already come!

yet = “until now”

Examples:

Have you done your homework yet?
Did you do your homework yet?
I haven’t seen the new Indiana Jones movie yet.
Bob’s been at his job for five years, and hasn’t gotten a promotion yet.
Did Kelly go on vacation yet?

Exercise: Rewrite the sentences using the present perfect.

Example:

Did Kelly go on vacation yet? ==> Has Kelly gone on vacation yet?

1. I didn’t tell my father yet that I lost my job.
2. Tim already shoveled the snow from the sidewalk.
3. Sam just took a shower.
4. Did you just get home from work?
5. Oh, I already put away the groceries.
6. Did you change the baby’s diaper yet?
7. We just bought a new dishwasher.
8. Steve already graduated from college.
9. Dave didn’t vote yet.
10. I just turned on the radio.

Exercise: Rewrite the sentences using the simple past.

Example:

The guests have already come! ==> The guests already came!

1. Matt hasn’t eaten dinner yet.
2. The TV repairman’s just left.
3. Mr. Jones is not in. He’s already left for the day.
4. Do you want to talk to Bill? He hasn’t gone to bed yet.
5. Help! I’ve just been robbed!
6. She’s already celebrated her birthday.
7. The baby hasn’t gotten any teeth yet.
8. The baby’s just said “Dada” for the first time.
9. Have you talked to your cousin yet?
10. Mary’s already returned the books to the library.

There are three adverbs that are often used together with the Present Perfect and the Simple Past: just, already, and yet.

just = “a short time ago”

Examples:

Tom just came home from school.
Tom’s just come home from school.
Sally’s not here – she just left a few minutes ago.
Come in! I just finished cleaning the kitchen.
It’s weird that Mark called me – I was just thinking about him.

already = “before you/I expected”

Examples:

The children have already done their homework, and are now playing in the back yard.
I already baked a cake for tomorrow night’s party.
John’s in bed already. He got up at 5:30 this morning, so he was pretty tired.
Hello, Mr. Smith. I do believe we’ve already met.
Hurry up and get dressed! The guests have already come!

yet = “until now”

Examples:

Have you done your homework yet?
Did you do your homework yet?
I haven’t seen the new Indiana Jones movie yet.
Bob’s been at his job for five years, and hasn’t gotten a promotion yet.
Did Kelly go on vacation yet?

Exercise: Rewrite the sentences using the present perfect.

Example:
Did Kelly go on vacation yet? ==> Has Kelly gone on vacation yet?

1. I didn’t tell my father yet that I lost my job.

2. Tim already shoveled the snow from the sidewalk.

3. Sam just took a shower.

4. Did you just get home from work?

5. Oh, I already put away the groceries.

6. Did you change the baby’s diaper yet?

7. We just bought a new dishwasher.

8. Steve already graduated from college.

9. Dave didn’t vote yet.

10. I just turned on the radio.

Exercise: Rewrite the sentences using the simple past.

Example:
The guests have already come! ==> The guests already came!

1. Matt hasn’t eaten dinner yet.

2. The TV repairman’s just left.

3. Mr. Jones is not in. He’s already left for the day.

4. Do you want to talk to Bill? He hasn’t gone to bed yet.

5. Help! I’ve just been robbed!

6. She’s already celebrated her birthday.

7. The baby hasn’t gotten any teeth yet.

8. The baby’s just said “Dada” for the first time.

9. Have you talked to your cousin yet?

10. Mary’s already returned the books to the library.

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So far, we have looked at two ways to talk about past events: the Simple Past, and the Present Perfect. The question is: How can I tell when I need to use Simple Past, and when I need to use Present Perfect?

Present Perfect:
The Present Perfect is used for an action in the past that has a result that is still in effect now.

Examples:

The mechanic has fixed the car. (= The car is fixed now.)
The rain has melted away the snow. (= The snow is melted now.)
I have cleaned the basement. (= The basement is clean now.)
Jim was very sick last week, but he’s gotten better. (= His condition is better now.)

Simple Past:
The Simple Past is used when we are talking about an action in the past with a finished time – something whose results are not necessarily still in effect now.

Examples:

The mechanic fixed the car. (= The car was fixed yesterday, three days ago, last week, last month, etc.)
The rain melted away the snow. (= The snow melted yesterday, three days ago, last week, last month, etc.)
I cleaned the basement. (= I cleaned the basement yesterday, three days ago, last week, last month, etc.)

Note: The Simple Past can also be thought of as a narrative (“story-telling”) tense:

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Goldilocks. She was a naughty little girl who didn’t listen to her mother. One day, she went for a walk in the woods and came upon the house of the three bears….

Sometimes, however, the Simple Past could be used as well as the Present Perfect:

I’ve finished my homework. // I finished my homework.
I’ve lost my book. // I lost my book.
Sam’s bought new shoes. // Sam bought new shoes.

Exercise: Rewrite the sentences, using the present perfect for the verbs in parentheses.

Example:

Tom is not at work. He (left) for the day. ==> Tom is not at work. He’s left for the day.

1. Jack (cut) the grass.
2. She (baked) a cake for tomorrow’s party.
3. We (exercised) this morning.
4. Kelly (ate) supper with her friends.
5. (Did) you (wash) the clothes?
6. The light bulb (burned) out.
7. Mary (was) in an auto accident.
8. The dog (was) fed.
9. Archeologists (dug) up a dinosaur bone.
10. Customers (came) to the store for a free book.

Exercise: Rewrite the sentences, using the simple past for the verbs in parentheses.

Example:

Tim (has gone) to bed. ==> Tim went to bed.

1. The plane (has come) to a complete stop.
2. Sally (has finished) reading War and Peace.
3. Everyone (has gone) home for the day.
4. The senator (has) already (given) his speech.
5. The clock (has stopped).
6. These books (have been checked) out from the library.
7. The luggage (has been put) on the train.
8. Matt (has gotten) first place in several tennis tournaments.
9. The baby (has taken) his first steps.
10. My favorite TV program (has been canceled).

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