Difference past simple and present perfect in English
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This chapter will discuss the difference between the past simple tense and present perfect tense. This chapter will explain the difference and show example sentences.
The past simple and present perfect tenses both talk about an action in the past, but the tenses are used for different moments in the past.
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Tense | Example | Explanation |
---|---|---|
Past simple tense | I lived in Amsterdam for 2 years. | I started living in Amsterdam 2 years ago. I finished living in Amsterdam after 2 years. I do not live in Amsterdam now. |
Present perfect tense | I have lived in Amsterdam for 2 years. | I started living in Amsterdam 2 years ago, and I am still living there now. |
Take a look at the timeline below to see the difference between past simple and present perfect.
Train your skills by doing the exercise below.
Fill in the English present perfect tense.
Remember:
Example:
She to the city centre. (to walk)
They to the artist. (to listen)
We to the concert. (to be)
The author a sign session. (to give)
I in Greece for two years. (to live)
Lilly in the United States. (to study)
Sharon and Julian many letters. (to receive)
The boss not the schedule yet. (to give)
You your finger. (to hit)
The man the bank. (to rob)
Fill in the correct form of the past simple.
Example:
I Spanish with him. (to speak)
The singer my favourite song. (to sing)
Yesterday he me he could not come tonight. (to write)
It a lot yesterday. (to rain)
He sick last night. (to be)
The man to the bus station. (to run)
They me a sandwich. (to bring)
The girl her old school books. (to sell)
The children quietly waiting for the teacher. (to sit)
You a long time for him last week. (to wait)
Fill in the correct tense of the verbs between brackets. Choose past simple or present perfect.
Remember:
Last year she to Spain on holiday. (to go)
you ever oysters? (to eat)
She never outside without brushing her teeth. (to go)
Her mother her daughter's hair this morning. (to brush)
We not in another country yet. (to live)
Last week they not at school. (to be)
Andrew his friends to the party a month ago. (to invite)
Her parents in 2011. (to marry)
I already the book twice. (to read)
You from Amsterdam to Rotterdam this month. (to cycle)
Fill in the correct tense of the verbs between brackets. Choose past simple or present perfect.
Remember:
She in the club last night. (to dance)
They already at the answers. (to look)
she ever the question? (to repeat)
You in Rotterdam last week. (to be)
They the train to Paris last month. (to take)
We a lot in their travel diary last year. (to write)
Sandra into my office for a meeting yesterday. (to come)
He that he made a mistake. (to admit)
The artist a new design for the shirts. (to make)
you your Grandma yet? (to phone)
Fill in the English present perfect tense.
Remember:
Example:
She to the city centre. (to walk)
They to the artist. (to listen)
We to the concert. (to be)
The author a sign session. (to give)
I in Greece for two years. (to live)
Lilly in the United States. (to study)
Sharon and Julian many letters. (to receive)
The boss not the schedule yet. (to give)
You your finger. (to hit)
The man the bank. (to rob)
Fill in the correct form of the past simple.
Example:
I Spanish with him. (to speak)
The singer my favourite song. (to sing)
Yesterday he me he could not come tonight. (to write)
It a lot yesterday. (to rain)
He sick last night. (to be)
The man to the bus station. (to run)
They me a sandwich. (to bring)
The girl her old school books. (to sell)
The children quietly waiting for the teacher. (to sit)
You a long time for him last week. (to wait)
Fill in the correct tense of the verbs between brackets. Choose past simple or present perfect.
Remember:
Last year she to Spain on holiday. (to go)
you ever oysters? (to eat)
She never outside without brushing her teeth. (to go)
Her mother her daughter's hair this morning. (to brush)
We not in another country yet. (to live)
Last week they not at school. (to be)
Andrew his friends to the party a month ago. (to invite)
Her parents in 2011. (to marry)
I already the book twice. (to read)
You from Amsterdam to Rotterdam this month. (to cycle)
Fill in the correct tense of the verbs between brackets. Choose past simple or present perfect.
Remember:
She in the club last night. (to dance)
They already at the answers. (to look)
she ever the question? (to repeat)
You in Rotterdam last week. (to be)
They the train to Paris last month. (to take)
We a lot in their travel diary last year. (to write)
Sandra into my office for a meeting yesterday. (to come)
He that he made a mistake. (to admit)
The artist a new design for the shirts. (to make)
you your Grandma yet? (to phone)
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Hi! I am Francesca and have a degree in specialised translation and interpreting cum laude. I have been working in the field of translation and teaching for about three years.
I am a foreign language teacher and a tutor for courses leading to language certifications recognised by the Common European Framework. I also teach Italian to foreigners and am a CELI examiner. My academic training and professional experience have enabled me to develop a successful teaching method tailored to the needs of each learner, ensuring excellent results in a short time in all four language skills (speaking, listening, writing, and reading).
I hope to see you soon at your first free class to start your linguistic and cultural growth.
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She's very smart, professional, and pretty. She quickly understood my need as a learner and I had fun talking with her. She creates an atmosphere in class that makes students feel free to speak. Will book again.
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I’m French, currently living in the Netherlands.
I lived in Paris for almost twenty years, and I know very well my country (and of course my language, French, my mother tongue). I taught French for two years in Spain, conversation class about culture essentially.
In Paris, I was Spanish teacher, I have the Agregation degree which is the highest degree for teaching in France, I'm bilingual. I've participated too in several editorial projects about Spanish teaching and DELE preparation.
I have a Spanish Studies Master and I'm currently doing a research about the Spanish and Sefardi Judaism.
I have a French as foreign language and a Religious Studies Masters too.
I enjoy sharing what I know. I’m a very eclectic person and curious about everything. To give you an idea, my interest (and sometimes hobbies) are: philosophy, spirituality and religions in general, meditation, psychology and psychoanalysis, history, geography, literature, writing (in particular creative writing, and I’m used to write everyday), art (painting, photography), sciences (vulgarisation level) and cultural matters in general. I travel a lot (as a backpacker), sometimes by foot, and the places I know well are France, the Netherlands, Italy and Serbia.
One of my qualities is my capacity of adaptation, I enjoy preparing documents to help the student to acquire autonomy, but I love speaking too, and it’s the best way to learn a language.
I'm waiting for your message, please when contact me, explain quickly who you are, why you want to study French and what you are looking for exactly.
See you soon.
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Rosa is an excellent teacher, clear in explanations, attentive to the student's goals, with a vast culture that enriches the conversation in the language.
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I want to help people to improve the level of their chosen language.
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I really want to thank the teacher for their patience, perfectly prepared lessons, a friendly and warm learning atmosphere. Throughout the years of study, Nancy helped me tremendously. I highly recommend her to everyone, she's an excellent teacher.
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Hello! I am a CELTA-qualified native English teacher offering lessons carefully tailored to your needs. Learn by dynamic conversation exchange, written pieces, songs lyrics, podcasts, and fun and challenging exercises.
I have a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and have been rock climbing for about 25 years. As an Italian language learner myself, I believe that talking about your passions is one of the most effective ways of mastering a new language. I look forward to hearing about your interests!
I offer a free 15-minute meeting to discuss your personal goals for learning. Let’s work together to bring you closer to those English language goals!
-Parlo italiano-
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I have studied social sciences to PhD level and have experience of working in universities as a researcher, including giving tutorials. I have also worked as a professional proofreader.
I speak British English and I have an appreciation of other varieties of English, sometimes referred to as ‘Global Englishes’, as well as the use of English as a ‘lingua franca’ or common language.
I have been trained in the ‘communicative approach’ to language teaching. This approach is based on the idea that the best way for us to learn a language is through using it in communication that is meaningful for us. My lessons will help you to learn English through using it in activities and tasks that are connected to your reasons for learning English and your wider interests. The lessons will include vocabulary, grammar and other aspects of language as well as the four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, depending on your priorities. I would like to have some background information about you, including why you are learning English, your professional and/or personal interests and your first language. I can then create lessons that meet your individual needs with activities that are personalised for you.
I have also been trained in teaching English online and I am familiar with a range of digital tools that can make the lessons effective and interesting. I am also familiar with several sources of professionally designed study materials that are publicly available for adaptation for different learners. I will give you feedback on your strengths and on how to improve. I can also give guidance on homework and other resources you can access, if this is of interest to you.
I welcome your feedback on each lesson.
I have experience of learning languages myself, including Mandarin and Turkish, which I really enjoy. I hope that you will enjoy my English lessons.
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Vasiliki Z.
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Hi! My name is Joyce and I am from Glasgow in Scotland. I’m looking forward to meeting you online to help you improve your English!
I have a degree in French and German, and have worked in tourism for over 30 years, living in many different parts of the world. I love learning about and getting to know different cultures.
I love travelling and have been fortunate enough to work as an overseas representative, and then manager, for British tour operators in such diverse places as Bulgaria, Spain, Jamaica, Italy, Austria, Paris, Thailand and Cancún, where our objective was always to provide the best possible service to our customers, the holidaymakers.
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Hi, name is Laura. I come from a small town near Manchester, UK, though I now live in Bulgaria with my husband and two small children. I am an avid reader of fiction and am also particularly interested in current affairs, politics, psychology and education. I teach English full time and thoroughly enjoy my work. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, exploring the Bulgarian countryside, cooking and learning Bulgarian.
Me as a Teacher
I am a qualified teacher with a BSc in Applied Psychology. I have been teaching English for 15 years and have worked with all ages and abilities. My lessons are very communicative and with a strong focus on speaking. I really enjoy getting to know my students and I try to incorporate their hobbies and interests into our lessons.
For the majority of my teaching career I have worked with teenagers and young adults. I have taught hundreds of young people and have found that they enjoy and respond well to my relaxed teaching approach. I am particularly well-suited to helping young people progress and have confidence in their ability.
My Lessons & Teaching Style
My teaching style is open and friendly. I encourage students to speak as much as possible and guide them through their use of English. All of my lessons are tailor-made according to the needs of my students. Whether it is conversation practice, grammar study or exam preparation (specifically KET/PET/FCE), I can help.
Each of my lessons is designed with clear learning objectives and I use a variety of learning methods/materials to make my lessons interesting and to reinforce what we have covered.
I believe learning should be fun and rewarding and students should be able to feel their own personal progress after each lesson. I genuinely care about the development every one of my students.
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*I graduted from Marmara University (Top university in Turkey for Turkish language and literature teaching).
*I'm native Turkish language teacher.
*I worked at international colleges, language courses and online teaching platforms since 2005.
**I'm writing doctorate thesis about teaching Turkish to foreigners.
*I wrote many Turkish language course books and story books for foreigners.
*I use many effecting teaching methods in my lesson.
*I can understand your needs and create lessons.
*I had more than 2500 foreign students (65+ nationalities) before.
*You can learn all language skills (speaking, reading, writing, listening), grammar and vocabulary.
*Personalized lesson for your needs.
*Sending lesson note end of each lesson (Word or pdf)
*Special videos, presentations, activities, overwievs for all topics
*Sending free materials (Books, exercises, videos, lesson notes)
*Writing online level exam
*Having certificate end of the course (optional)
*Speak and write fluently in a short time. You understand well what you read and listen.
*Homework after each lesson
*I can create the course content according to your request.
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Murat has over 15 years of teaching experience. He has a variety of learning materials. He has written several learning books and video's to go along with it. Furthermore, he is well-prepared and patient.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Hi! I am Francesca and have a degree in specialised translation and interpreting cum laude. I have been working in the field of translation and teaching for about three years.
I am a foreign language teacher and a tutor for courses leading to language certifications recognised by the Common European Framework. I also teach Italian to foreigners and am a CELI examiner. My academic training and professional experience have enabled me to develop a successful teaching method tailored to the needs of each learner, ensuring excellent results in a short time in all four language skills (speaking, listening, writing, and reading).
I hope to see you soon at your first free class to start your linguistic and cultural growth.
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She's very smart, professional, and pretty. She quickly understood my need as a learner and I had fun talking with her. She creates an atmosphere in class that makes students feel free to speak. Will book again.
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I’m French, currently living in the Netherlands.
I lived in Paris for almost twenty years, and I know very well my country (and of course my language, French, my mother tongue). I taught French for two years in Spain, conversation class about culture essentially.
In Paris, I was Spanish teacher, I have the Agregation degree which is the highest degree for teaching in France, I'm bilingual. I've participated too in several editorial projects about Spanish teaching and DELE preparation.
I have a Spanish Studies Master and I'm currently doing a research about the Spanish and Sefardi Judaism.
I have a French as foreign language and a Religious Studies Masters too.
I enjoy sharing what I know. I’m a very eclectic person and curious about everything. To give you an idea, my interest (and sometimes hobbies) are: philosophy, spirituality and religions in general, meditation, psychology and psychoanalysis, history, geography, literature, writing (in particular creative writing, and I’m used to write everyday), art (painting, photography), sciences (vulgarisation level) and cultural matters in general. I travel a lot (as a backpacker), sometimes by foot, and the places I know well are France, the Netherlands, Italy and Serbia.
One of my qualities is my capacity of adaptation, I enjoy preparing documents to help the student to acquire autonomy, but I love speaking too, and it’s the best way to learn a language.
I'm waiting for your message, please when contact me, explain quickly who you are, why you want to study French and what you are looking for exactly.
See you soon.
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Rosa is an excellent teacher, clear in explanations, attentive to the student's goals, with a vast culture that enriches the conversation in the language.
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I want to help people to improve the level of their chosen language.
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I really want to thank the teacher for their patience, perfectly prepared lessons, a friendly and warm learning atmosphere. Throughout the years of study, Nancy helped me tremendously. I highly recommend her to everyone, she's an excellent teacher.
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Hello! I am a CELTA-qualified native English teacher offering lessons carefully tailored to your needs. Learn by dynamic conversation exchange, written pieces, songs lyrics, podcasts, and fun and challenging exercises.
I have a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and have been rock climbing for about 25 years. As an Italian language learner myself, I believe that talking about your passions is one of the most effective ways of mastering a new language. I look forward to hearing about your interests!
I offer a free 15-minute meeting to discuss your personal goals for learning. Let’s work together to bring you closer to those English language goals!
-Parlo italiano-
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Melissa is a teacher with great empathy. She clearly enjoys teaching English and does this in a very professional manner.
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