These two tenses confuse almost every learner, because both talk about the past. The difference is not the action. The difference is the time frame. The past simple puts the action in a finished period. The present perfect connects the action to now.
Think of a shelf of finished boxes and one open box. "I lived in Rome in 2019" is a closed box: 2019 is over. "I have lived in Rome" is an open box: my life is still going, and the experience is part of it.
This page gives you the rule, the forms, the time words that choose the tense, and 20 questions with a full explanation for every answer.
The rule
The short rule
- Past simple: the action happened in a finished time. The time is over.
- Present perfect: the action happened at some point before now, or it started in the past and continues now.
- Past simple asks "when?". Present perfect does not.
- If you can add "yesterday", "last week", "in 2019" or "ago", use the past simple.
How to build the two forms
- Past simple: verb + -ed for regular verbs (worked, played), or the second form for irregular verbs (went, saw, took).
- Present perfect: have or has + past participle (the third form). "I have worked", "she has gone", "they have seen".
- Questions with the past simple use did: "Did you call?" The main verb stays in the base form.
- Questions with the present perfect use have or has: "Have you called?"
Time words that choose the tense
- Present perfect signals: ever, never, just, already, yet, so far, recently, since Monday, for three years, this week, today.
- Past simple signals: yesterday, last night, last year, in 2019, three days ago, at 8 o'clock, when I was a child, then.
- "Today", "this week" and "this year" are unfinished periods, so the present perfect fits: "I have answered ten emails today."
- "Yesterday", "last week" and "last year" are finished periods, so the past simple fits: "I answered ten emails yesterday."
Result now vs detail then
- "I have lost my keys" means the keys are still missing. The result matters now.
- "I lost my keys last night" adds the time and closes the story. The result is not the point.
- Life experience uses the present perfect: "I have been to Canada." The exact trip does not matter.
- A specific trip uses the past simple: "I went to Canada in 2022."
Examples
- I have lived in Lisbon for six years.I still live there. The period is open.
- She has just finished her homework.The action is complete and the result is visible now.
- We went to the museum last Saturday.Last Saturday is a finished time.
- Have you ever eaten sushi?A life experience. The exact date does not matter.
- He has worked here since 2021.Since names the starting point of an open period.
- I saw Maria at the station an hour ago.Ago always takes the past simple.
- They have already bought the tickets.Already is a present perfect signal.
- The train left at 7:15.A finished event with a clock time.
- I have not seen that film yet.Yet is common in negative present perfect sentences.
- Nobody has cleaned the kitchen.The kitchen is dirty now. The result matters.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: I have seen him yesterday. Right: I saw him yesterday.
- Yesterday is finished time. The present perfect cannot take a finished time expression.
- Wrong: I live here since 2019. Right: I have lived here since 2019.
- Since names the start of a period that continues to now, so the verb takes the present perfect.
- Wrong: She has went to Rome. Right: She has gone to Rome.
- After have or has, use the past participle (gone), not the past simple form (went).
- Wrong: I have worked here for 2019. Right: I have worked here since 2019.
- Use for with a length of time (for six years) and since with a starting point (since 2019).
- Wrong: When have you arrived? Right: When did you arrive?
- When asks for a finished time, so the question takes the past simple.
Practice drill
Answer all 20 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
I ___ my keys. I cannot get into the house.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. have lost The keys are still missing, so the result matters now. That is the present perfect: have lost.
We ___ to Rome in 2019.
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Answer: B. went In 2019 is a finished time, so the past simple is correct: went.
She ___ in Berlin since 2020.
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Answer: C. has lived Since 2020 marks the start of a period that continues now. Use the present perfect: has lived.
___ you ever ___ a horse?
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Answer: D. Have ... ridden Ever asks about life experience, and the present perfect needs the past participle ridden: Have you ever ridden a horse?
I ___ that film three times.
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Answer: A. have seen The time is my whole life so far, which is not finished. The present perfect is the natural choice: have seen.
He ___ his homework an hour ago.
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Answer: B. finished Ago is a past simple signal: finished.
They ___ here for ten years.
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Answer: C. have worked For ten years describes a period that continues to now, so use the present perfect: have worked.
___ you ___ your mother yesterday?
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Answer: D. Did ... call Yesterday is finished time. Questions in the past simple use did plus the base verb: did you call.
Nobody ___ the dishes yet.
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Answer: A. has washed Yet signals the present perfect. Nobody is singular, so it takes has: has washed.
When ___ she ___?
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Answer: B. did ... arrive When asks about a finished time, so use the past simple: did she arrive.
I ___ never ___ to Japan.
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Answer: C. have ... been Never describes life experience up to now, and the present perfect uses been as the past participle of be: have been.
The bus ___ at 8:05 this morning.
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Answer: D. left A clock time in the past, and this morning here means a moment that is over. Use the past simple: left.
He has just ___ the report.
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Answer: A. finished After has, use the past participle. For a regular verb the past participle is the -ed form: finished.
We ___ each other since primary school.
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Answer: B. have known The friendship started in the past and continues now. Since plus an open period calls for the present perfect: have known.
___ she ___ the email already?
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Answer: C. Has ... sent Already is a present perfect signal, and the past participle of send is sent: Has she sent.
I ___ my arm last winter.
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Answer: D. broke Last winter is finished time, so use the past simple: broke.
It is the first time I ___ sushi.
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Answer: A. have eaten The pattern "It is the first time ..." takes the present perfect: have eaten.
The film ___ five minutes ago.
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Answer: B. started Ago always takes the past simple: started.
Would you like some cake? No thanks, I ___.
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Answer: C. have already eaten Already belongs to the present perfect, and the past participle of eat is eaten: have already eaten.
She ___ three countries this year.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. has visited This year is an open period, so the present perfect fits: has visited. She is singular, so use has.
Questions learners ask
Can I use the present perfect with "yesterday"?
No. Yesterday is a finished period. Use the past simple: "I called her yesterday." Use the present perfect with open periods such as today, this week, ever, never, just, already and yet.
What is the difference between "I have been to Paris" and "I went to Paris"?
The first is a life experience. We do not know or care when. The second tells the listener that there was one specific, finished trip, and it invites the question "When?".
Do American and British speakers use the present perfect the same way?
Almost. American English often uses the past simple where British English prefers the present perfect, for example "Did you eat yet?" instead of "Have you eaten yet?". Both are correct in their own variety. Choose one style and keep it consistent.
More grammar topics
Irregular verbs
The three forms (go, went, gone) grouped by pattern, with the mistakes to avoid.
Phrasal verbs
Verb plus particle, three types, and the pronoun rule that learners break most often.
Phrasal verbs with get
One small verb, a score of meanings: the get phrasal verbs learners meet every day.
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