Present Perfect vs Past Simple (Advanced)
Master the difference between finished and unfinished time using signal words.
- check_circleI can distinguish between finished and unfinished time periods.
- check_circleI can use signal words like yet, already, just, recently, and lately correctly.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
Mark: Hi Sarah! I haven’t seen you lately. Have you been busy?
Sarah: Yes, I have. I’ve just started a new job, so I’ve been working a lot this week.
Mark: Oh, congratulations! When did you start?
Sarah: I started last Monday. It’s a great company.
Mark: Have you met your new colleagues yet?
Sarah: Yes, I have already met most of them. They took me out for lunch yesterday. What about you? What have you done recently?
Mark: Well, I haven’t done much. I caught a cold a few days ago, so I stayed in bed all weekend. But I have finally recovered.
Sarah: I’m glad to hear that! Have you finished reading that thriller you told me about?
Mark: Not yet. I read the first half last night, but I fell asleep!
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
When talking about the past, choosing between the Past Simple and the Present Perfect depends on whether the time period is finished or unfinished.
Finished vs. Unfinished Time
If the time period is completely finished, we use the Past Simple. If the time period continues up to now (unfinished), we use the Present Perfect.
Finished Time (Past Simple): I worked hard last week. (Last week is over)
Unfinished Time (Present Perfect): I have worked hard this week. (This week is not over yet)
Time expressions like yesterday, last year, in 2010 always take the Past Simple. Time expressions like today, this month, so far often take the Present Perfect.
Signal Words
Certain signal words tell us which tense to use. The Present Perfect is commonly used with words that connect the past to the present.
- Just: For something that happened a very short time ago.
- Already: For something that happened sooner than expected.
- Yet: For something we expect to happen (used in negatives and questions).
- Recently / Lately: For things that happened not long ago.
- I have just finished my assignment.
- Have you seen that new movie yet?
- She has already eaten dinner.
- We haven’t traveled much recently.
Common mistake: Do not use the Present Perfect with finished time expressions.
Incorrect: I have seen him yesterday.
Correct: I saw him yesterday.
Expanding your Vocabulary
Sometimes, the Present Perfect is used to talk about general life experiences up to now, without mentioning exactly when they happened. When you specify when, you must switch to the Past Simple.
- A: Have you ever been to Japan? (Present Perfect - in your whole life up to now)
- B: Yes, I went there in 2019. (Past Simple - finished time in 2019)
When we talk about life experiences, we often use words like abroad.
- Past Simple: Finished time (yesterday, last year, in 2020).
- Present Perfect: Unfinished time (today, this week, in my life so far).
- Present Perfect Signal Words: just, already, yet, recently, lately, ever, never.
- Use Past Simple if you say when something happened.
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
Now make the language yours in a real task. Use the prompt below — the editor keeps a simple word count, and nothing is saved or graded.
Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?