Zorg SpaceFinished time or not: went or have gone
The rule
The choice is not about how long ago it was. It is about whether you name a finished time. Say I went to Berlin last year — last year is over, so the past simple. Say I have been to Berlin when the time is your whole life so far and still open. The same rule decides this morning: at ten it is still this morning, so I have had two coffees this morning; at midnight it is finished, so I had two coffees this morning. Words that name finished time — yesterday, ago, in 2019, last week, when I was young — cannot take the present perfect.
have / has + past participle (time still open) · past simple (time finished)
Examples
I have worked here for three years.
I worked there in 2019.
Have you seen the new manager today?
She lost her keys yesterday and found them this morning.
Common mistakes
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Wrong: I have seen him yesterday.
Right: I saw him yesterday.
yesterday names a finished time, so the present perfect is impossible.
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Wrong: When have you arrived?
Right: When did you arrive?
when asks for a finished point in time, so it takes the past simple.
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Wrong: I live here since 2020.
Right: I have lived here since 2020.
Something that began in the past and is still true takes the present perfect.
Practice questions
Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.
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1Choose the correct sentence.
- I have finish the report an hour ago.
- I finished the report an hour ago.
- I have finished the report an hour ago.
- I finish the report an hour ago.
Show answer
Answer: B I finished the report an hour ago.
ago always names a finished point, so the past simple is the only choice.
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2Choose the correct sentence.
- We have not decide yet.
- We have not decided yet.
- We do not decide yet.
- We did not decide yet.
Show answer
Answer: B We have not decided yet.
yet looks at a decision that is still open, so the present perfect.
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3Choose the correct sentence.
- She is running her own shop since April.
- She ran her own shop since April.
- She runs her own shop since April.
- She has run her own shop since April.
Show answer
Answer: D She has run her own shop since April.
since + a starting point takes the present perfect.
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4Choose the correct sentence.
- How long have you known her?
- How long do you know her?
- How long are you knowing her?
- How long did you know her?
Show answer
Answer: A How long have you known her?
How long …? about something still true takes the present perfect.
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5Fill in the gap.
I _____ my passport last week and I still cannot find it.
- am losing
- lost
- have lose
- have lost
Show answer
Answer: B I lost my passport last week and I still cannot find it.
last week is finished time, so the past simple, even though the effect continues.
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6Fill in the gap.
The bus _____ not arrived yet.
- has
- did
- is
- was
Show answer
Answer: A The bus has not arrived yet.
has not arrived yet — the wait is still open.
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7Fill in the gap.
They _____ in that flat when their son was born.
- have lived
- are living
- lived
- have live
Show answer
Answer: C They lived in that flat when their son was born.
when their son was born is a finished moment.
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8Fill in the gap.
I _____ three emails from her this morning.
- have been having
- am having
- have had
- had have
Show answer
Answer: C I have had three emails from her this morning.
Said while it is still this morning, the time is open: present perfect.
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9Put the words in the right order.
I have never been to Scotland
Show answer
Answer: I have never been to Scotland.
never puts the whole of your life so far in view, so the present perfect.
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10Put the words in the right order.
She sold the car two months ago
Show answer
Answer: She sold the car two months ago.
ago fixes a finished point, so the past simple.
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