Encuentra profesores de Inglés
Mwalimu Tina
Tutor de la comunidadđ
Ever Struggled with Present Perfect vs. Simple Past? Same Here!
I remember when I first started teaching EnglishâI kept noticing how tricky it is to choose between "I have done" and "I did." Even advanced learners sometimes ask: Whatâs the actual difference?
It usually comes down to whether the action is connected to now (present perfect) or clearly in the past and finished (simple past).
Example 1: Iâve just eaten lunch. (Still relevantâIâm full now!)âš â
Example 2: I ate lunch at noon. (That moment is finished and not related to now.) âšâ
Iâm curiousââšđ Do you find this difference easy or confusing?âšđ In your native language, is there a similar difference?
Letâs share thoughts and help each other out. Maybe we can collect some helpful examples together!
3 de jun. de 2025 17:35
Comentarios · 3
In Italian, it is not at all the same. It is normal in Italian to say the equivalent of "Yesterday, I have eaten a pizza", but not in English. My way of looking at it is that in English, the meaning of "have" never ever changes, whereas in other languages it sometimes becomes something special, a "helping verb". In English, "have" always indicates possession. When you say "I have eaten a pizza" you really are saying that you now possess something, and the something that you now possess is the experience of eating a pizza.
4 de jun. de 2025 0:20
Mwalimu Tina
Competencias lingĂŒĂsticas
Inglés, Francés, Luganda, Español, Suajili
Idioma de aprendizaje
Francés, Luganda, Español
ArtĂculos que podrĂan gustarte

Speak More Fluently with This Simple Technique
18 votos positivos · 2 Comentarios

How to Read and Understand a Business Contract in English
17 votos positivos · 3 Comentarios

6 Ways italki Can Help You Succeed in Your School Language Classes
13 votos positivos · 8 Comentarios
MĂĄs artĂculos