B1 · grammar

Present Perfect vs Past Simple Exercises (B1) — Free

Present perfect vs past simple: connected to now, or finished in the past

Both tenses talk about the past; the difference is the connection to now. Use the past simple when the time is finished or stated: yesterday, last week, in 2015, two hours ago, or questions with 'when' (I saw that film last week). Use the present perfect (have/has + past participle) when the time isn't stated and the past connects to the present: life experiences (I've never seen a whale), situations that are still true (She has lived here since 2018), and past actions with a result now (I've lost my keys). A useful test: if you can add a finished time expression, use the past simple. That's also why we use the past simple for people who are no longer alive: their lifetime is a finished period.