SYNTAX

Past tenses

Uses of the present perfect The present perfect is used to indicate an action that is

completed in the present time and to connect two points of time one in the past and the other in the present. Actions that started in the past and continue up to the

presentI have lived in Huelva for three years. [I still live in Huelva]

Actions that happened in the past but with a result connected to the present Sarah has written a book. [There is now a book written by Sarah]

Actions that happened in a period of time that continues up to the presentHave you ever been abroad? [in your life, up to the present]

Uses of the present perfect continuous The present perfect continuous is used to indicate an

action that is completed in the present time. It connects two points of time one in the past and the other in the present while emphasizing that the action is seen as progressing in time. Actions that started in the past and have been in

progress up to the presentI have been waiting here for an hour.

Actions in progress up to the recent past but with a result connected to the present It has been snowing. [There is snow on the ground]

Repeated actions in a period up to the present or the recent past. I have been visiting my parents very often lately.

Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous

the action may or may not be finished I have been washing the dishes. I will be done in a few minutes.

we emphasize how long something has been going on I’ve been walking all morning

when we consider the action very temporaryI’ve been living here for a few weeks now

the action is finished I have washed the dishes. I finished a few minutes ago

we emphasize what has been achievedI’ve walked 3 miles in an hour

when we consider the action more permanentI’ve always lived here.

Uses of the past tenses The simple past is used to locate events completely in the

past without any reference to any particular aspect.I lived in Evanston from 1990 to 1998.  

The past continuous is used to talk about actions that were in progress at a past time, but were not finished at that time.When the phone rang, I was watching TV.

When we are talking about the past, the past perfect is used we to refer to an earlier time (an earlier past) We got to the station at 8:00 but the train had left at 7:30.

The past perfect continuous is used when we are talking about the past to refer to an action that had been in progress up to that past timeI had been walking for an hour when I decided to go back home.

Present Perfect vs. Simple Past (I)

an action that starts in the past and continues up to the present I have lived in Evanston for 8 years. [I still live there].

the result of the past action is connected to the present I’ve lost my wallet. [I don’t have a wallet now]

when we talk about an indefinite time up to the present I’ve never been here before.

an action that starts and finishes in the pastI lived in Evanston for 8 years. [I don’t live there now].

the result of the past action isn’t connected to the presentI lost my wallet. [but I got it back, or got a new one]

when we talk about a definite past time I lived here in 1987.

Present Perfect vs. Simple Past (II)

with today, this morning, this afternoon, … when those periods of time are not finishedI’ve spoken to Peter this morning

with today, this morning, this afternoon, … when those periods of time are finishedI spoke to Peter this morning.

to ask when something happenedWhen did you speak to Peter?

Would + infinitive, used to + infinitive

Used to (actions and states) and would (actions) are also possible:

I used to be addicted to chocolate.When I was younger, I would get up

at 6.