THE USE OF THE PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE, THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS AND THE PAST INDEFINITE Matching exercise
Match the items on the right to the items on the left.
The Past Simple is used to denote: 1) single completed actions Sony and Philips invented the CD in the early 1980s. 2) repeated or habitual actions in the past We moved house a lot when I was a child. 3) general truths about the past Early clocks were usually very unreliable. 4) permanent situations and states in the past Did the ancient Egyptians have more advanced technology than other civilisations?
The Past Simple vs Present Perfect Simple In general, the Past Simple is used to refer to periods of time or moments which are finished. The Present Perfect is used to refer to periods of time which continue up to the present. The nineteenth century saw many technological advances, such as the camera and the electric light bulb. There have been many technological advances in recent years, the most important being the spread of the Internet.
The Past Simple is used to refer to events at a specific time in the past. The Present Perfect is used when the specific time when something happened isn’t important or relevant, or when the present result of a past event is important. I sent my first email six months ago. Have you ever sent an email before?