Past Simple and Past Continuos

PAST SIMPLE

Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind .

Examples:

• I saw a movie yesterday.
• I didn't see a play yesterday.
• Last year, I traveled to Japan.
• Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
• Did you have dinner last night?
• She washed her car.
• He didn't wash his car.

present perfect

Present perfect

FORM
[has/have + past participle]
Examples:
You have seen that movie many times.
Have you seen that movie many times?
You have not seen that movie many times

We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.

Present Perfect + Yet and Alredy

We use alredy in affirmative sentences.

We use yet in interrogative and negative sentences.

Have you done the exercise yet?

yes, I have alredy done it./No, I haven´t done it yet.

Present perfect+ Just

To express an actionthat finished very recently, we put just before the main verb.

I´ve just arrived. He has just phoned.

Have they just bought that car?