The Rule
| Past Simple | Present Perfect | |
|---|---|---|
| Use | Completed action at a specific finished time | Connects past to present — recent actions, experience, or ongoing relevance |
| Form | verb + -ed / irregular past form | have / has + past participle |
| Key words | yesterday, last week, in 2020, ago, at 9am, on Monday | just, already, yet, ever, never, recently, so far, since, for |
| Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|
| I sent the email yesterday. | I have just sent the email. (it is done — now relevant) |
| She worked at Google in 2018. | She has worked in tech. (life experience) |
| We launched the product last year. | We have already launched the product. |
Critical rule for Spanish speakers: In Spanish, the present perfect (he enviado) is often used where English requires past simple. In English, if you mention a specific finished time, you MUST use past simple.
✗ I have sent it yesterday. ✓ I sent it yesterday.
✗ Did you ever visit Japan? ✓ Have you ever visited Japan?
✗ I have sent it yesterday. ✓ I sent it yesterday.
✗ Did you ever visit Japan? ✓ Have you ever visited Japan?
Common Mistakes
I have sent the full proposal yesterday afternoon.
I sent the full proposal yesterday afternoon.
Did you ever work abroad for an extended period?
Have you ever worked abroad for an extended period?
She has worked here since three years.
She has worked here for three years.
We didn't finish the report yet — give us one more hour.
We haven't finished the report yet — give us one more hour.
I know her since we were both at university together.
I have known her since we were both at university together.
Gap Fill — Press Enter to Check
Error Correction
Multiple Choice
Put the Words in the Correct Order
Sentence Transformation — Press Enter to Check
Conversation Practice
1
Tell your partner about 3 professional experiences you have had. Then give specific dates and say when exactly.
2
Have you ever had to deal with a very difficult client? What happened? Use both tenses correctly.
3
What have you achieved so far this year at work? Use present perfect first, then add detail with past simple.
Homework
Write your professional biography in 10 sentences. Use present perfect for experiences and achievements, and past simple whenever you mention a specific time or date.