Unit
20 I have done (present perfect) and I did (past)
W ith a finished time (yesterday / last week etc.), we use the past (arrived/saw/was etc.):
past + finished time
yesterday.
yesterday
last week.
last week
We arrived at 3 o'clock.
six months ago
in 2002.
finished time
six months ago.
past now
Do not use the present perfect (have arrived / have done / have been etc.) with a finished time:
O I saw Paula yesterday.
(not I have seen)
O Where were you on Sunday afternoon?
(not Where have you been)
O We didn't have a holiday last year
(not We haven't had)
O 'W hat did you do last night?' 'I stayed at home.'
O William Shakespeare lived from 1564 to 1616. He was a writer. He wrote many plays
and poems.
Use the past to ask When ... ? or W hat time ... ?:
O When did you buy your computer? (not When have you bought)
O What time did Andy go out? (not W hat time has Andy gone out)
Compare:
present perfect past
O I have lost my key. O I lost my key last week.
(= I can't find it now)
O Ben has gone home. O Ben went home ten minutes ago.
(= he isn't here now)
O Have you seen Kate? O Did you see Kate on Saturday?
(= where is she now?)
time until now finished time ....................
past now past now
O Have you ever been to Spain? O Did you go to Spain last year?
(= in your life, until now)
O M y friend is a writer. He has written O Shakespeare wrote many plays and
many books. poems.
O Sam hasn't phoned me yet. O Sam didn't phone me yesterday.
O We've lived in Singapore for six years. O We lived in Glasgow for six years, but
(= we live there now) now we live in Singapore.
( past simple ^ Units 11-12 present perfect ^ Units 15-18
Exercises
Q ) Complete the answers to the questions.
Are these sentences OK? Correct the verbs that are wrong. (The verbs are underlined.)
1 JVeJost my key. I can't find it. OK................
2 Have you seen Kate yesterday? ..Qidyousee..
3 I've finished my work at 2 o'clock.
4 I'm ready now. I've finished my work.
5 W hat time have you finished your work?
6 Sue isn't here. She's gone out.
7 Steve's grandmother has died two years ago.
8 Where have you been last night?
£ £ } Put the verb in the present perfect or past.
1 M y friend is a writer. H e ha s w ritten (write) many books.
2 We didn’t have (not/have) a holiday last year.
3 I .............................................................. (play) tennis yesterday afternoon.
4 W hat tim e .............................................................. (you/go) to bed last night?
5 ................................................................ (you ever meet) a famous person?
6 The w eather.............................................................. (not/be) very good yesterday.
7 Kathy travels a lot. S h e (visit) many countries.
8 I .............................................................. (switch) off the light before going out this morning.
9 I live in New York now, but I (live) in Mexico for many years.
10 'What's Canada like? Is it beautiful?' 'I don't know. I ................................................................(not/be) there.'
^ut t^ie verk *n t^ie Present perfect or past.
1 a : tta y e y m .e y e r been, (you/ever/be) to Florida?
b: Yes, w e w ent (go) there on holiday two years ago.
a : (you/have) a good time?
b: Yes, i t (be) great.
2 a : Where's Alan? .............................................................. (you/see) him?
b: Yes, h e ................................................................(go) out a few minutes ago.
a : And Rachel?
b: I don't know. I .............................................................. (not/see) her.
3 Rose works in a factory. Sh e................................................................ (work) there for six months.
Before that sh e (be) a waitress in a restaurant. She
(work) there for two years, but sh e ...................................................
(not/enjoy) it very much.
4 a : D o you know Mark's sister?
b: I ........................................................... (see) her a few times, but.I ...........................................................
(never/speak) to her. ........................................................................................ (you/ever/speak) to her?
a : Yes. I (m eet) her at a party last week. She's very nice.
Additional exercises 19-23, 29-31 (pages 260-62, 265-67)
