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Unit 14 · Present perfect and past

Present perfect and past 2 (I have done and I did)

Study

A

We do not use the present perfect (I have done) when we talk about a finished time (for example, yesterday / last year / ten minutes ago etc.). We use a past tense:

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It was very cold yesterday. (not has been)

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Paul and Lucy arrived ten minutes ago. (not have arrived)

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Did you eat a lot of sweets when you were a child? (not have you eaten)

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I got home late last night. I was very tired and went straight to bed.

Use the past to ask When … ? or What time … ? :

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When did your friends arrive? (not have … arrived)

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What time did you finish work?

Compare:

Present perfect Past simple
Tom has lost his key. He can’t get into the house. Tom lost his key yesterday. He couldn’t get into the house.
Is Carla here or has she left? When did Carla leave?
B

Compare:

Present perfect (have done) Past simple (did)
I’ve done a lot of work today. I did a lot of work yesterday.
We use the present perfect for a period of time that continues until now. For example: today / this week / since 2010. We use the past simple for a finished time in the past. For example: yesterday / last week / from 2010 to 2014.
It hasn’t rained this week. It didn’t rain last week.
Have you seen Anna this morning? (it is still morning now) Did you see Anna this morning? (it is now afternoon or evening)
Have you seen Ben recently? (in the last few days or weeks) Did you see Ben on Sunday?
I’ve been working here since 2010. (I still work here now) I worked here from 2010 to 2014. (I don’t work here now)
I don’t know where Lisa is. I haven’t seen her. (= I haven’t seen her recently) A: Was Lisa at the party on Sunday? B: I don’t think so. I didn’t see her.
We’ve been waiting for an hour. (we are still waiting now) We waited (or were waiting) for an hour. (we are no longer waiting)
Jack lives in Los Angeles. He has lived there for seven years. Jack lived in New York for ten years. Now he lives in Los Angeles.
I’ve never ridden a horse. (in my life) I never rode a bike when I was a child.
It’s the last day of your holiday. You say: It’s been a really good holiday. I’ve really enjoyed it. After you come back from holiday you say: It was a really good holiday. I really enjoyed it.

Exercises (4)

0/4 exercises checked
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14.1

Are the underlined parts of these sentences OK? Correct them where necessary.

  1. 1
    I’ve lost my key. I can’t find it anywhere. example
  2. 2
    Have you eaten a lot of sweets when you were a child? example
  3. 3
    I’ve bought a new car. You must come and see it.
  4. 4
    I’ve bought a new car last week.
  5. 5
    Where have you been yesterday evening?
  6. 6
    Maria has left school in 1999.
  7. 7
    I’m looking for Mike. Have you seen him?
  8. 8
    ‘Have you been to Paris?’ ‘Yes, many times.’
  9. 9
    I’m very hungry. I haven’t eaten much today.
  10. 10
    When has this bridge been built?
14.2

Make sentences from the words in brackets. Use the present perfect or past simple.

  1. 1
    (it / not / rain / this week) example
  2. 2
    (the weather / be / cold / recently) The weather
  3. 3
    (it / cold / last week) It
  4. 4
    (I / not / eat / any fruit yesterday) I
  5. 5
    (I / not / eat / any fruit today)
  6. 6
    (Emily / earn / a lot of money / this year)
  7. 7
    (she / not / earn / so much / last year)
  8. 8
    (you / have / a holiday recently?)
14.3

Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or past simple.

  1. 1
    I (I / not / be) to Canada, but I’d like to go there.example
  2. 2
    Paul and Lucy (arrive) about ten minutes ago.example
  3. 3
    I’m tired. (I / not / sleep) well last night.
  4. 4
    (There / be) a bus drivers’ strike last week, so (there / be) no buses.
  5. 5
    Edward (work) in a bank for 15 years. Then (he / give) it up. Now he works as a gardener.
  6. 6
    Mary lives in Dublin. (She / live) there all her life.
  7. 7
    My grandfather (die) before I was born. (I / never / meet) him.
  8. 8
    I don’t know Karen’s husband. (I / never / meet) him.
  9. 9
    It’s nearly lunchtime, and (I / not / see) Martin all morning. I wonder where he is.
  10. 10
    a: (you / go) to the cinema last night? b: Yes, but the movie (be) awful.
  11. 11
    a: (It / be) very warm here since we arrived. b: Yes, (it / be) 35 degrees yesterday.
  12. 12
    a: Where do you live? b: In Boston. a: How long (you / live) there? b: Five years. a: Where (you / live) before that? b: In Chicago. a: And how long (you / live) in Chicago? b: Two years.
14.4

Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets.

  1. 1
    (something you haven’t done today) example
  2. 2
    (something you haven’t done today)
  3. 3
    (something you didn’t do yesterday)
  4. 4
    (something you did yesterday evening)
  5. 5
    (something you haven’t done recently)
  6. 6
    (something you’ve done a lot recently)