Present perfect vs past simple
Past simple for finished time; present perfect when the time is not finished or the result matters now.
A — Sample sentences
Words like friend, trust, split up, get married, and engaged appear in context.
1) Past simple — finished past with a definite time
yesterday, last year, in 2019, when I was young
- I met my best friend at university in 2019.
- They got married last summer in a small ceremony.
- She split up with her boyfriend two months ago.
- We lost touch when he moved abroad in 2020.
2) Present perfect — unfinished time or result now
ever, never, yet, already, just, recently, this year, so far
- I have never fallen out with a close friend.
- They have just got engaged — everyone is thrilled.
- We have known each other since we were children.
- She has already made up with her sister this week.
3) Contrasts
Same topic — different tense depending on the time frame.
- A: Did you go out with anyone last year? B: No, but I have been in a relationship since January.
- He relied on his partner for years, but they divorced in 2018.
- Have you ever kept in touch with an old friend from school?
- We got together again after ten years — I still trust him completely.
Try it: Past simple or present perfect?
Choose the best form.
- They ___ friends since primary school.
(a) were (b) have been (c) are - She ___ up with her partner last Friday.
(a) split (b) has split (c) splits - ___ you ever ___ in love at first sight?
(a) Did / fall (b) Have / fallen (c) Do / fall - We ___ married in 2015, but we ___ divorced since then.
(a) got / have got (b) have got / got (c) got / got
Check your answers in the course — it marks them instantly. This is one of the unit's 4 exercises; the other 3 are in the General English course too.
Practise this unit in the course →