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Lesson Plan December 22, 2023

Topic: Present Perfect Simple vs Past Simple

In this lesson we will study and practise the differences between the present perfect simple and past simple.

The present perfect is used to talk about past actions or situations that have a connection with the present. It is formed from the verb have + past participle.

Section A

We often use the present perfect to give ‘new’ information, for example when we want to report an event that happened a short time ago:

• Ouch! I’ve hurt my leg.

• Has Michael arrived yet?

• Spain have won the World Cup!

Section B

We use the present perfect to talk about a repeated past event that may happen again in the future:

• Brazil have won the World Cup five times.

• The doctor has saved many lives.

When there is no possibility that the event will happen again in the future, we use the past simple:

• The English King Henry VIII got married six times.

Section C

We often use the present perfect to talk about a situation that began in the past and continues up to the present or future. It is often used with time expressions such as since, for, never, etc.:

• I’ve been married for nearly ten years.

• John hasn’t lived alone since 2001.

Section D

We often use the present perfect to talk about a past event that has a connection with the present:

• Look! Masa has had a hair cut! (His hair is different now.)

• I’ve left my dictionary at home. Can I borrow yours? (My dictionary is at home at the moment.)

Note

If we say when something happened in the past, we cannot use the present perfect. We use the past simple

• Yesterday, I left my dictionary at home, so I borrowed one from a classmate.

Lesson Notes

• Early this morning, my outdoor thermometer read minus three degrees celsius.

• I took my temperature with an oral thermometer to see if I had a fever.

• He recommended a good meat thermometer to use when cooking.

• When I use a treadmill, I increase the incline for a better workout.

• This hill has a sharp decline, so drive slowly.

• She has starred in many successful films.

Vocabulary

• Thermometer; (noun) a device for measuring temperature

• Incline; angle, slope; in an upward direction

• Decline; angle, slope; in a downward direction

• Star; (verb) of a performer) have a principal role in a film, play, or other show

• Tenses; stars, starring, starred

Present Perfect Simple & Past Simple

• Did Mark give you his address before he left? (“Before he left” is a past time reference, so we should use “past simple”)

• Has Mark given you his address? (No past time reference, so we can use “present perfect simple)

Experiences and repeated events

• We use the present perfect to talk about a repeated past event that may happen again in the future

• When there is no possibility that the event will happen again in the future, we use the past simple

Marilyn Monroe (MM); born 1926, died 1962

Nicole Kidman (NK); born 1967

She was married more than once. (MM)

She has been married more than once. (NK)

She was born in the USA. (Both)

She has starred in many successful films. (NK)

She received awards for her performances. (MM)

She has worked with many famous actors. (NK)

She began her film career in her twenties. (Both)

She has won several awards for her performances. (NK)

• Since Marilyn Monroe died in 1962, we really cannot use "present perfect" tenses with her sentences.

• Nicole Kidman is still alive, so we use "present perfect”

• Actions that cannot be repeated, we use "past tense”; for example “be born”, “in her twenties”