Present Perfect Simple Revision

REMEMBER! FORM Regular verbs: to have (present simple) + vb + ed Irregular verbs: to have (present simple) + vb. in the third form (see the list of irregular verbs) USES 1. Recent actions, unspecified moment in the past - time expressions which do not specify exactly the time of the action, such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet etc. 2. The experience of the subject 3. Modifications which take place in time 4. Accomplishments (individual or collective), without time specification 5. An uncompleted action (which began in the past and is expected to happen) 6. Multiple actions which took place at different times in the past; in this case, the process is not complete and other actions are also possible 7. Recent actions in the past (unspecified time) which influence the present situation.

Past Simple REMEMBER! PAST TENSE SIMPLE

Form The are two types of verb - regular and irregular - and it is when using the past simple (as well as the past participle) that this is important. Regular verbs are formed by adding "-ed" to the end of the base verb, or simply "-d" if the base verb ends in the letter "e". Irregular verbs are just that - irregular - and it is only possible to learn them by memorisation and practice. Use We use the past simple for something in the past which is finished. Mike passed his exam last year. You always use the simple past when you say when something happened, so it is associated with certain past time expressions. Examples: a definite point in time: last night, when I was a boy, yesterday, seven weeks ago

frequency: always, often, sometimes, an indefinite point in time: the other day, ages ago, a long time ago etc.

Past Perfect Simple

Remember! Past Perfect Simple

Form
HAD + the past participle of the verb Affirmative: You had talked to Mary. Negative: You had not talked to Mary. Interrogative: Had you talked to Mary?

Use of Past Perfect

action taking place before a certain time in the past (putting emphasis only on the fact, not the duration)

Example: Before I came here, I had seen to Jack.

Conditional Sentences Type III (condition that was not given in the past)

Example: If I had seen him, I would have told him the truth.

Present Perfect Simple, Past Simple and Past Perfect Simple: Comparative View REMEMBER! Past Simple Tense vs. Present Perfect Tense

PAST SIMPLE Certain time in the past I talked to her yesterday. Certain event in the past We went to France last year.

PRESENT PERFECT just / already / yet I have just talked to her. how often so far Have you ever been to France? I have visited France twice.

Emphasis on action Emphasis on result I bought a new car. (emphasis I have bought a new car. on action; just telling what I did in (emphasis on result; I actually the past) want to express that I have a new bike now) Signal Words

yesterday ... ago in 2000 the other day last ...

just already up to now until now / till now ever never (not) yet so far lately / recently

Simple Past vs. Past Perfect Simple

Simple Past is used to give past events in the order in which they occurred. Past Perfect is used in order to speak about actions which occurred before another moment or action in the past. Past Simple some time in the past I got up at seven. I got dressed and then I went to work.

First then

Past Perfect before/up to a certain time in the past Before my eighteenth birthday, I had never drunk wine. Signal Words already up to then before that day after*

*Note: "After" is only used as a signal word for Past Perfect if it is followed by a subject + verb, meaning that one action had been completed before another action began (the new action is in Simple Past). Example: After the reunion had finished, they went to the party. However, if "after" is followed by object + subject + verb, the verb belongs to the new action and is therefore in Simple Past. Example: After the reunion, they went to the party. More exceptions with signal words When Depending on the situation, "when" can be used with Simple Past or Past Perfect. Example: When they saw the boss, they got scared. (at the same time) When they had seen the boss, they wanted to tell him the truth. (second action happened after the first action had been completed) When they went to see the boss, he had already known the truth. (second action had been completed when the first action took place) Before "Before" can either be used with Simple Past or Past Perfect. If the action after "before" is a new action, use Simple Past. If the action after "before" started (and was not completed) before a certain time in the past, use Past Perfect. Example: He had read a lot before he passed to the exam. He passed the exam before he had finished reading the full course.