When to use Present perfect and when Past Simple.
I’ve been or I was?
| • Susan: I’ve been in hospital for two weeks. | • John: I was in hospital for six weeks. | |
| Present Perfect | Past Simple | |
| We use the Present Perfect for a state which has gone on up to the present. (Susan is still in hospital.) • We’ve lived here for ten years. |
We use the Past Simple for a state in the past, in a period which is finished. (John’s stay in hospital is over.) • We lived there for ten years. |
Have you (ever) …? and Did you (ever) …?
| Present Perfect | Past Simple | |
| We use the Present Perfect for actions in a period of time up to the present. • This young director has made four films so far. He has made films means that it is possible he will make more films. |
We use the Past Simple for actions in the past, a period which is finished. • The director made many films in his long career. He made films means that his career in films is over. He won’t make any more. |
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| • Have you ever been to Spain? – Yes, once. • I’ve played badminton before. • They’ve never had much money. |
• Did Hemingway ever go to Spain? – Yes, he did. • I played badminton in school. • They never had much money back then. |
Today, this week, etc.
| Present Perfect | Past Simple | |
| We use today and phrases with this for a period up to the present. • It hasn’t snowed today. • Have you seen this week’s magazine? |
We use yesterday and phrases with last for a past period. • It snowed yesterday. • Did you see last week’s magazine? |
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| But sometimes today etc. can mean a past period. Compare: | ||
| • I haven’t seen Bill today. (It’s still daytime.) • Has the post come this morning? (It’s still this morning.) |
• I didn’t see Judy at school today. (The school day is over.) • Did the post come this morning? (It’s later in the day.) |
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