G13
Present Perfect and Past Simple
I have done v. I did





Study this situation:


Tom is looking for his key. He cannot find it.


  • He has lost his key. (present perfect = He does not have his key now)

 


Ten minutes later:


Now, Tom has found his key. He has it now.


  • Has he lost his key? (present perfect)
  • No, he hasn't. He's found it.


Did he lose his key? (present simple)


Yes, he did.


  • He lost his key, (present simple)
  • but now he's found it. (present perfect)

 


The present perfect is a present tense. It always tells us something about now. “Tom has lost his key.” = Tom does not have his key now. (see G7)


The past simple tells us only about the past. If somebody says “Tom lost his key.” we don't know whether the key is still lost, or whether it has been found. We only know that at a determined time in the past, the key was lost. Consider two more examples:


  • Jack grew a beard, but he has shaved it off. (= he no longer has a beard)
  • Jack grew a beard but shaved it off. (= it is possible it has regrown)
  • They went out after lunch and they have just come back. (= they are back now)
  • They went out after lunch and came back later. (= they may no longer be here)



You must not use the present perfect if there is no connection with the present, for example: things that happened a long time ago:


  • The Chinese invented printing.
  • How many plays did Shakespeare write?
  • Beethoven was a great composer.



Compare:


  • Shakespeare wrote many plays.
  • My sister is a writer. She has written many books. (she still writes books)



We use the present perfect to give new information (see G7). However, if we continue to talk about the subject, we use the past simple:


  • Ow! I've burnt myself.
  • How did you do that? (not how have you done)
  • I picked up a hot dish.

  • Look! Someone has spilt cream on the carpet.
  • Well, it wasn't me. I didn't do it!
  • I wonder who it was?



Exercises