Past simple Present perfect Talks about the past NEVER connects with the present Talks about the present The events may have happened in the past, or started in the past, but it ALWAYS connects with the present

Past simple Present perfect I lost my keys yesterday. I have lost my keys.

Past simple Present perfect I often played football in high school. I have played football since high school.

Past simple Present perfect I lived in Santos for 10 years. I have lived in SP for 10 years.

In what situations should I use the present perfect?

To talk about past experiences when you don’t say when something happened I’ve been to Australia. Have you ever broken your leg?

The golden rule: If you mention WHEN things happened, it is ALWAYS a past simple action, NEVER a present perfect action

When...? (past simple time references) yesterday, last week/month/year, in March, in 2009, on April 7th, 10 minutes ago, between 2002 and 2004, at 3 p.m., last night, yesterday morning

Present perfect time references Recently, lately, since January, so far, just, already, yet (usually, but not always) ever, never For is possible with both the past simple and the present perfect tenses

 With yet and already Have you finished that report yet? Yes, I have already finished it. No, I haven’t finished it yet.

 With superlatives, and the first second, third... time This is the best book I’ve ever read. It’s the first time I’ve done this.

I’ve cut my finger! It’s bleeding! I’ve just finished this report.  For finished actions which are connected in some way with the present AND very recent or new information I’ve cut my finger! It’s bleeding! I’ve just finished this report. [it happened a very short while ago] I’ve got a new job. [even if it happened a month ago, the first time I mention it to you I should use the present perfect]

I’ve liked the Beatles since I was a child.  With how long, for and since, with stative verbs, to say that something started in the past and is still true now I’ve liked the Beatles since I was a child. I’ve known her for a long time. How long have you had this car?

Stative verbs Verbs of the senses: see*, hear, smell, taste Verbs of possession: have*, own, possess Verbs of emotion: like, love, hate Verbs of mental processes: want, need, remember, understand

 When we say how much, how many or how often we have done something so far How many of his books have you read? She’s been out twice this week.

Have you got everything so far? Unfortunately, present perfect has an evil brother... ...you’ve been expecting this, right?

Present perfect continuous I’ve lost my keys. ≠ I’ve played football since = high school. I’ve lived in SP for 10 years. = I’ve been losing my keys. (impossible, except with a different meaning) I’ve been playing football since high school. I’ve been living in SP for 10 years.

In what situations should I use the present perfect continuous?

How long have you been watching TV?  With how long?, since, for, to talk about actions that started in the past and are still happening How long have you been watching TV? I’ve been studying for this test for weeks. He’s been working in that project since last week.

Information that answers how much. and how many Information that answers how much..? and how many...? questions is NEVER presented using present perfect continuous.

 For repeated actions, especially with a time expression (all day, recently...) I haven’t been sleeping well recently It’s been raining all day.

 To talk about continuous actions which have just finished, with present results It started raining this morning and it rained for the whole afternoon. It stopped raining 10 minutes ago, but the ground is still wet. ↓ It has been raining.

In other words, to explain an effect I can see now: I’m hot because I’ve been running. He’s wet because he’s been walking in the rain. They’re dirty because they’ve been working in the garden.