Grammar (1)
Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
The present perfect tense always connects the past and the present; the past simple tense only tells us about the past.
When referring to a specific period of time in the past (e.g., yesterday, last week, six weeks ago), the past simple tense is always used, never the present perfect tense.
I lost my wallet yesterday. (No: I’ve lost my wallet yesterday.)
Someone stole my bicycle last week. (No: Someone has stolen my bicycle last week.)
The present perfect tense is used to refer to an indefinite period of time that extends to the present, e.g., ever, never, recently.
PRESENT PERFECT PAST SIMPLE
Have you ever seen a ghost? Did you see your friend yesterday?
I’ve never been to New York. I went to London last week.
I’ve started taking driving lessons recently. I started taking driving lessons 6 weeks ago.
Often, a conversation begins in an indefinite way using the present perfect tense, and then the past simple tense is used when thinking about the specific moment when something happened.
Speaker A) Have you ever been to the United States? Speaker B) Yes, I went there in 2002.
Speaker A) Did you go to New York? (= en 2002)
I’ve seen that film. I enjoyed it (=when I saw it) very much.
Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
El pretèrit perfecte relaciona sempre el passat i el present; el passat simple només ens parla del passat.
Quan ens referim a un període definit de temps passat (p.ex., yesterday, last week, six weeks ago), s’empra sempre el passat simple, mai el pretèrit perfecte.
I lost my wallet yesterday. (No: I’ve lost my wallet yesterday.)
Someone stole my bicycle last week. (No: Someone has stolen my bicycle last week.)
S’empra pretèrit perfecte per referir-se a un període de temps indefinit que arriba fins al present, p.ex., ever, never, recently. Compara:
PRESENT PERFECT PAST SIMPLE
Have you ever seen a ghost? Did you see your friend yesterday?
I’ve never been to New York. I went to London last week.
I’ve started taking driving lessons recently. I started taking driving lessons 6 weeks ago.
Sovint s’inicia una conversa de manera indefinida amb el pretèrit perfecte, i després s’empra el passat simple quan es pensa en el moment concret en què va passar alguna cosa.
Speaker A) Have you ever been to the United States? Speaker B) Yes, I went there in 2002.
Speaker A) Did you go to New York? (= en 2002)
I’ve seen that film. I enjoyed it (=quan la vaig veure) very much.
Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
El pretérito perfecto relaciona siempre el pasado y el presente; el pasado simple sólo nos habla del pasado.
Cuando nos referimos a un período definido de tiempo pasado (p.ej., yesterday, last week, six weeks ago), se emplea siempre el pasado simple, nunca el pretérito perfecto.
I lost my wallet yesterday. (No: I’ve lost my wallet yesterday.)
Someone stole my bicycle last week. (No: Someone has stolen my bicycle last week.)
Se emplea pretérito perfecto para referirse a un período de tiempo indefinido que llega hasta el presente, p.ej., ever, never, recently. Compara:
PRESENT PERFECT PAST SIMPLE
Have you ever seen a ghost? Did you see your friend yesterday?
I’ve never been to New York. I went to London last week.
I’ve started taking driving lessons recently. I started taking driving lessons 6 weeks ago.
Con frecuencia, se inicia una conversación de manera indefinida con el pretérito perfecto, y luego se emplea el pasado simple cuando se piensa en el momento concreto en que sucedió algo.
Speaker A) Have you ever been to the United States? Speaker B) Yes, I went there in 2002.
Speaker A) Did you go to New York? (= en 2002)
I’ve seen that film. I enjoyed it (=cuando la vi) very much.