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This English lesson explains the difference between the past simple and the present perfect.

This is a difficult area for a lot of learners.

My job is to help you understand this difference. You're going to get clear explanations and lots of examples.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TENSES

The past simple is used for actions that finished in the past and have no connection to the present.

The present perfect is used for actions that haven't finished.

The example I gave is this:

My grandma never went to Madrid
Paul has never been to Madrid

My grandma died a long time ago. Therefore, the action of her (possibly) going to Madrid is over.

Paul is still alive. The action of him going or not going to Madrid continues.

We use the simple past with past time expressions. This includes:

I went there YESTERDAY
She told me TWO HOURS AGO
They went to London IN 2002

Present time expressions are more difficult. What tense you use depends on what you're talking about.

For example:

I've had a great day (in general)
I had a great day today (talking about work that has now finished)

The present perfect is stricter in British English. For example:

Did you have breakfast yet? (you'll hear this in American English)
Have you had breakfast yet? (only in British English)

USING THE PRESENT PERFECT WITH JUST

I just saw her (American English)
I've just seen her (British English)

OTHER ENGLISH LESSONS RELATED ON THIS TOPIC:

Present perfect simple vs continuous:    • Present Perfect Simple vs Continuous ...  

For vs Since:    • Present Perfect Examples  For vs Sin...  

Been to vs been in:    • I Have Been TO vs I Have Been IN (Pre...  

Present perfect with just:    • Present Perfect with Just: Advanced U...  

Present perfect in the negative:    • Present Perfect Examples in the Negat...  

Also, watch this video to learn more differences between British and American English:    • British vs American English Pronuncia...  

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COMMON QUESTIONS:

Q: Where are you from?
A: I grew up in Preston, Lancashire, England.

Q: How long have you been teaching?
A: I've been teaching English since 2011. I ❤ it!

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Q: Do you have a book that I can download?
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Q: What books do you recommend?
A: I recommend graded readers. Learn more about this here:    • How to Learn English Through Stories ...  

Q: Do you have any conversational videos?
A: Yes! Here is a playlist:    • Advanced English Conversation Lesson ...  

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