A. Conjugation: Preterite or present perfect?
The preterite and the present perfect are two important tenses in English. There are many examples of these tenses in the interview with Lynne Martin on page 38 of
English Now No 77. Have you noticed them? What is the difference between the preterite and the present perfect? When do we use these tenses? Find out with the explanations below:
1. Preterite (or past simple)
When do we use the preterite?
We use the preterite for completed actions in the past. The action began and finished in the past.
Examples:
My brother worked in a restaurant when he was a student.
We went on holiday to Ireland last summer.
2. Present perfect
When do we use the present perfect? We use the present perfect for general past experiences. The experiences are not connected to a specific date, time or year. We also use the present perfect to talk about past actions that continue in the present. Examples: I have lived in many countries. My parents have been together for 30 years. (They are still together.) Now, test your comprehension with the exercise in Part B.Content Print