Dan HAS WORKED at the BBC for eight years> Dan worked 8 years at BBC until now , and he is STILL working there (present perfect tense ) Dan WORKED at the BBC for eight years. > Dan worked for 8 years there in the past (past tense) I have loved her for 8 years > you still do love her ( the tense is from " in the past until now, and into the future) I loved here > you don't loved her now ( the tense shows an action in the past )

You are right. These two sentences have completely different meanings. The first thing you need to realise is that English tenses do not correspond to Italian tenses. The English present perfect doesn't have the same use as the passato prossimo. Do not assume the 'Ho lavorato', for example, always corresponds to 'I have worked'. It doesn't. If you try to relate English forms to Italian ones you will never be able to use English tenses correctly! 1. The present perfect ( I have worked) refers to an unfinished period of time, 2008 --> now, and in this case it indicates a continuing situation. The period of time is still 'open', because Dan is still working at the BBC now. Dan has worked at the BBC for 8 years = Dan lavora presso BBC da 8 anni 2. The past simple ( I worked) refers to a finished period of time, for example 2003 - 2011. If we say 'He worked..' we know that this period of time is over and that Dan no longer works at the BBC. Dan worked for the BBC for 8 years = Dan lavorò/ha lavorato/lavorava presso BBC per 8 anni Please forgive me if I've made any errors in Italian, but I hope that makes it a little clearer for you. And please do ask if it's still not clear.

This is a very simple concept which is taught at elementary level English. Past is past (worked). You connect the past to the present with present perfect (has worked). There is no other way of doing this.