PAST SIMPLE or PRESENT PERFECT? (The Easy Way To Know!)

Learn the 25 words and expressions that tell you whether you need to use the PAST SIMPLE or PRESENT PERFECT tense in English... without mistakes! 👓 Watch with subtitles 👓

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⭐️ [VIDEOS TO WATCH NEXT...]
🔥 EXPLAINED! Past Continuous and Past Perfect Continuous Tenses

🔥 EXPLAINED! Why we use the PAST to talk about the FUTURE in English

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► CHAPTERS:
00:00 When to use the past simple or present perfect tense in English
00:36 What is a simple tense and perfect tense?
00:53 How to pronounce CAN in English
1:43 When to use the past simple
2:20 When to use the present perfect
4:37 Expressions that use the Present Perfect tense
11:25 Expressions that use the Past Simple tense

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► TRANSCRIPTION

A lot of students ask me the difference between the past simple like I was and the present perfect like I have been. In fact, I've already done a video on this topic, but today I have something a little bit extra special for you. You see, sometimes in the sentence there are little clues, little words and expressions that we use that tell us whether we have to use the past simple or present perfect. Let's go.

Now, I hate jargon and all these complex grammar terms for things. So let me just make this simple before we start. When I talk about a simple tense, I'm talking about things like I went, that's the past simple. I go, present simple. I will go, that's the future simple.

When I'm talking about a perfect tense, I'm talking about things like I had gone, that's the past perfect. I have gone, that's the present perfect. I will have gone, that's the future perfect. So many tenses. But let's just focus today on when to use the past simple and the present perfect. So before I give you these special tricks and expressions that we use to help you know when to use each tense, let's just have a very quick reminder of the rule of when we use the present perfect and when we use the past simple.

So we use the past simple to talk about things that happened in a time period that has finished. So things like last week, that's finished, we can't change that. It's in the past. Last week. The same as yesterday, we can't change yesterday. Yesterday is in the past, it's finished. Talking about actions, about things that happened in those time periods, we used the past simple. I went, I had, I took.

Now, when we're talking about things that happened in a time period that started in the past and is still true now, we use the present perfect. I have eaten, I have taken. So I'm talking about things like today. Today started in the past, but it's still true now. This week, it started already. It started in the past, and it's still true now. In my life. My life started in the past, and it's still true now. So we use the present perfect. I have gone, I have taken, I have chosen.

Now, we don't always mention a time period when we're talking. If we don't, and if the action that we're talking about has a real clear effect on the present, we use the present perfect. Very common example of this is I've lost my keys. Okay? The action of losing my keys happened in the past, but the effect is very real and clear now because I don't have my keys, so I can't enter my house. I've lost my keys.

Now, the first two rules there, I think, are very clear and very simple. But the third rule, I think that can be quite complicated to think of when you speak in English and that's why the tricks that I'm going to teach you today are really going to help you choose the right tense to use.

So first we're going to have a look at a few words and expressions that we use in sentences that let us know that we have to use the present perfect tense. Now, there are a lot of words and a lot of examples that I'm going to teach you in this lesson. So I recommend you get the worksheet for this lesson. There's a link in the description, and that comes with a summary of the lesson, all the examples, and a test to check your understanding. Right, let's go.

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► Thanks, as always, for your LIKES, COMMENTS and SHARES!! 🙏

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Your British English Teacher,
~ Greg 😀

#EnglishWithGreg #LearnEnglish #englishtenses #EnglishGrammar #B2 #C1 #ESL

[irmahohenlohe]

Dear Greg, you are the best teacher! Thank you for this very helpful lesson.

[lynxrufus]

Theoretically English has 12 tenses, but... you can group them into 3 'narrations' (since tense is taken), and those narrations are just like tenses in every other civilised language ;) So, there's a past narration, a present narration and a future narration. Let's take the present narration: we talk about the present, so we use all four (if necessary) tenses with present in name: simple, continuous, perfect and perfect cont. Let's say we talk about moving to London: well, we're thinking about it, we want to see it again, we've already been there once. It's all related to present, it's all part of the 'present narration'. But then someone asks us about this previous visit to London. And then we change the narration - we talk about what happened when we visited the city. A normal person would use past tense, the English use 'past narration'. ;)

[Vetgong]

Hi Greg! Thanks a lot for the very clear explaining the difference between 'Simple' and 'Perfect' tenses in English! That would be of great help for learners and, of course, your lessons are pretty much understandable too! Have a good time and take care!

[roza_maussari]

Thank you teacher, you know how to explain everything clearly, briefly and not boring! Bravo!🙌🏻🎓☘️

[miodragpopovic]

Hi Greg,
many tks for your informative and precise explanation of the grammar issues.
I look fwd to hearing from you soon, hopefully.

[noorallah]

I always confuse people to speak British English with .due to your lessons .you are my favourite teacher in my life❤❤❤❤.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤my dear sir

[toshibajoey]

FOR, also goes with present perfect. I haven’t been there for ages, I haven’t seen John for months etc.

[bahamansour]

Through all these years of speaking and reading English language it became a kind of spontaneous way of either writing or speaking using the different tenses .
However here, Greg has simplified it on how to use them, though there will be some mistakes specially while speaking .
Languages are out of control .
Thank you so much , Greg for this outstanding lesson .
You are a great teacher ( N.b / you, ve gotten 3 letters Of your name from the adjective ( GREAT ) 🎋👍😇

[mosheivry]

Thanks, Grerg. Your Video lessons are awsome and very helpful.

[flymehome]

I really like the way you explain !!!! Besides some exemples are funny! Thank you Greg!

[tadeuszbloki]

Hello Greg, I've been watching your channel for some time and I must say you're the best English teacher I've ever had. Just wanted to say thank you. Hope I didn't make any mistake writing this comment ;)

[lydiager]

Dear Greg, thanks a bunch for all your lessons! They are great 👍 So easy, so natural and yet so brief and helpful. And enormous thanks for the series of lessons about conditionals! Those are awesome. I came across one of them last year. And since then I have been your big fan.

[roman_mathew]

What an insightful lesson Greg! Thanks!

[alejandroromani]

A chunk we can use with this lesson is the title of a song by Van Morrison: Have I told you lately that I love you? Wonderful song, indeed!

[kochetkovski]

To tell the truth the most clear example I have seen was in Greg's video about preposition to and for. Here's " I called to make for afternoon tea. I've reserved for 3 pm. Or something like this it doesn't matter. The both things were made in the past, but the reserving is still the truth.

[robsonoliveira]

Good class (or lessons) Greg, I've learned a lot. Congratulations by canal!
I'm from Brazil, and recently I returned my English's studies.

[sarathr]

Hello Greg! The way of training is really good. It would be great if you can do a catalogue video for grammar in an order just like a course so that people could learn tense, preposition etc .. its a simple suggestion. Thanks!

[Vine]

Thank you so much for making our english learning more easier.. 💫💥

[jesusdiaz]

Thank you so much. Could you make a video about what the difference is between these two sounds /ɒ/ and /ʌ/, they get me confused

[bennysebastian]

Everything you express is sufficient to reach the mind of the listener. Thank you❤️ a lot❤️