Cuando usar Present Perfect o Past Simple

Esta es una de las dudas ms habituales entre los estudiantes de ingls: cuando utilizar el Present Perfect y cuando utilizar el Past Simple. La dificultad de este asunto radica en que no siempre hay indicadores explcitos que nos digan que forma se debe utilizar. Adems, como he comentado anteriormente en el post de Introduccin al present perfect en ingls, que en castellano exista una forma similar al Present Perfect pero con una utilizacin bastante diferente solo complica las cosas. Hoy os propongo una explicacin que espero que despeje, por lo menos un poco, vuestras dudas. Hay dos grandes criterios para decidir si se utiliza el Present Perfect o el Past Simple: 1. El tipo de periodo de tiempo a. Cuando el periodo de tiempo incluye el momento presente, se utiliza el Present Perfect. Este periodo puede ser:

Un periodo de tiempo definido:

I have lived in Barcelona for 5 years / since 2004. Por eso, se utiliza el Present Perfect en preguntas con How long? que hacen referencia a un periodo de tiempo que empieza en el pasado y contina hasta el momento presente. How long have you had your car?

Un periodo de tiempo indefinido:

I have seen this film before / recently. I have already done my homework.

Un periodo de tiempo no expresado:

Have you been to New York? Si contestamos que si, entoces los detalles se tienen que poner en el Past Simple: Yes, I have. I went there when I was a student. b. Cuando no hay vnculo alguno con el momento presente, se utiliza el Past Simple. Esto puede indicarse con:

Expresiones que hacen referencia a momentos de tiempo claramente desconectados del presente:

I went to New York last year / two years ago / in 2006 / yesterday. 1

Por eso, se utiliza el Past Simple en preguntas con When? que hacen referencia a un momento especfico del pasado: When did you buy your car? Fijaros tambin en el tipo de verbo que se utiliza en esta pregunta: se trata de una accin sin duracin (buy a car). En la pregunta con How long?, el verbo es una accin durativa (have a car)

Expresiones que hacen referencia a un periodo de tiempo que no incluye el momento presente:

I lived in Paris for 5 years and then I moved to Barcelona. Como podis ver, lo que normalmente se dice del Present Perfect que siempre se utiliza con for / since no es del todo correcto. Tampoco es correcto que las preguntas con How long? siempre contengan un Present Perfect. Si se trata de un periodo de tiempo acabado, lo que tenemos que decir es How long did you live in Paris?. 2. El vnculo que una situacin tiene con el presente a. Cuando una situacin tiene un vnculo con el presente, se utiliza el Present Perfect. Normalmente, este vnculo lo constituyen los resultados presentes de una accin que se realiz en el pasado: I have lost my keys I dont have them now. I have written two books The books exist now. No es necessario que la accin haya pasado poco antes del momento presente. Lo que importa es que el locutor considere que sus resultados o efectos todava tienen relevancia en el presente. I have read this book. la lectura del libro puede haber pasado hace mucho tiempo, pero el recuerdo de la lectura est todava presente. b. Cuando una situacin no tiene vnculo alguno con el presente, se utiliza el Past Simple. No es necesario utilizar una expresin de tiempo: My parents got married in France. La falta de vnculo con el presente es muy evidente cuando hablamos de una persona que ha muerto: Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet.

Present Perfect vs. Past Simple

Poner los verbos entre parntesis en la forma adecuada: Present Perfect o Past Simple (afirmativo, negativo o interrogativo). 1. She

(put on) a lot of weight recently. you ever (have) a pet? Yes, I (have) a dog when I lived with my

2. parents.

3. My parents They 4. Lady Di

(live) in Paris for ten years and then they moved to Hamburg. (live) in Hamburg for five years now. (visit) a lot of poor countries. The Queen (visit) a lot of

poor countries, too. 5. When you (give up) smoking? Oh, a long time ago. I think I

(not smoke) since 2000. 6. My great-grandfather 7. I don't know Jane's fianc. I (die) forty years ago. I never never (meet) him. (be) awful. Since we came back, (meet) him.

8. When we were on holiday, the weather the weather 9. How long (be) great. you

(study) English? For five years now. I

(start)

when I finished university. 10. My bicycle is not here anymore. Someone (take) it.

1. I ................. my purse. I can't find it anywhere. A. ? have lost 3

B. ? lost

2. Marianne ............... a lot of money last month, but she has spent it all on clothes since then. A. ? has earned B. ? earned

3. He .................... in Amsterdam for four years and then he went on to do an M.A. in the States. A. ? has studied B. ? studied

4. The match ....................... They are winning 1-0. A. ? has started B. ? started

5. Real estate prices .............. down this year. We hope to buy a new house soon. A. ? have gone B. ? went

6. He ................... the Pulitzer but two days later he died of a heart attack. A. ? has won B. ? won

7. A young couple ................ the house on the hill, but they didn't live there long. 4

A. ? have bought B. ? bought

8. Jane ................... this book twice. A. ? has already read B. ? already read

9. How long ................... in Berlin last summer? A. ? have you been B. ? were you

10. How long ................... in Barcelona since you moved to Spain? A. ? have you lived B. ? did you live

Present Perfect and Past Simple: Questions and Answers -unir Since primary school. How long have you lived in London? Yes, I have. He has just arrived. Where did you meet your husband? I met him in Paris. Have you ever been abroad? Yes, I have. I went to Egypt last summer. When did you start working? I've lived here for five years. Probably my flat. What's the most expensive thing you have ever bought? No, I haven't. I got up late and left without Have you had breakfast this morning? eating. How long have you known your best friend? More than two hours. The motorway was When did you have your first baby? congested. Have you seen the headmaster today? Right after I graduated. How long did it take you to get home yesterday? I had my oldest daughter two years ago.

Ann

(live) in Birmingham all her life. Yesterday when Ann (begin) to rain. She

(be) on her

way to the train station, it umbrella, but this station, she

(run) back to get her (get) to the you (be)

(make) her late for her train. When she (ask) a woman on the platform: "How long just

here, Madam?" "Not long, the train to London When Ann "You (arrive) at the office, her boss

(leave), I'm afraid." (say):

(look) at her and

(be) late every morning this week. What time?" "I (miss) my train."

(happen) this

1. No, I

you

(book) your hotel room yet? (not answer) yet.

(write) to the hotel last week but they 2. I How just it

(have) my first driving lesson. (go)? you (enjoy) it?

Well, I

(hit) anything but I 3. Where

(make) every other possible mistake. you (be)? (find) a shop where shoes (get) 3 pairs. (meet) Angelica? (stay) in (be)

(be) shopping in Oxford Street. I on sale and I 4. Ye, we you

(meet) last year at a conference in Austria. We contact since then.