Present perfect vs Past

Usages

Sheila has joined the Sierra Club.

Sheila joined the Sierra Club.
The use of the present perfect has more to do
with our present perspective on the event
rather than on the actual time at which it
took place.

The simple past tense occurs with specific
past-time adverbials. The core meaning of
the past tense is remoteness. The use of
specific past-time adverbials (e.g., yesterday,
last year, 1990) makes the past tense
obligatory. The use of certain more general
temporal adverbials is commonly associated
with the perfect (e.g., already, since, yet).

Organise the phrases in the next slide into
three columns headed used with simple past,
used with present perfect and used with either.
Up to now
In the last
century
During
Kennedy’s
lifetime
Over the last
hundred years or
so

For three months
Three months
ago
Since three
months ago
Recently
This is the first
time I
Lately
Throughout the
17
th
century
Since the
Vietnam War
Today
Within the last
three months
After the Second
World War

In the last century

during Kennedy’s lifetime

Three months ago

Throughout the 17
th
century


Up to now

Over the last hundred years or so

Since three months ago

This is the first time I

Lately

Since the Vietnam War

Within the last three months

For three months

Recently

Today

After the Second World War

Even if a past-time adverbial isn’t
explicit, the remoteness may be defined
elsewhere in the context or simply
implied:

John Lennon was a creative genius.


The past tense is used for a completed
historical period versus an incomplete one:

My father lived here all his life.

My father has lived here all his life.

The function of the present perfect is to
change the nature of the relationship
between the subject and predicate – it
emphasizes the predicated event’s
result.

I’ve been to Japan twice already, but I still
don’t speak much Japanese.

Past simple is used by speakers to talk about
past events which are, or which they regard
as, finalised, or over and done with.

Present perfect is used by speakers to talk
about events which are still current, or which
they want to highlight as being incomplete
or still relevant.