Join my online English course for a step-by-step programme that gets you to an Advanced (C1) level in written and spoken English. Set up a free account now at anglo-link.com to explore the course!
These are the best grammar videos, and grammar resources period, that I have seen. The teacher speaks at an easy to follow pace, and she has an engaging tone. THANK YOU!
Start by listening to English without trying to understand. This will open your ears to the sounds. Then, start learning the basic structures and vocabulary and make sure you work on your pronunciation as well.
'since 1995' means 'between 1995 and now', and doesn't give a specified time in the past. That is why we use the Present Perfect. If you say 'in 1995', then you can use the Past Simple: He built a house in 1995.
In British English, some of the most common words that combine with the Present Perfect are 'already', 'not yet', 'just', 'recently', 'so far', 'today', 'this week / month / year'.
Your videos explaining the tenses are generally pretty good, but as someone whose first language is not English(I have been learning the language since I was 14, spent most of my life trying to master it and teaching it) and who has been teaching ESL for many years I have to add: this video is not making the difference between Pr. Perf. and Past Simple clear. It's good as a basic explanation or a starter approach, but as we know, a lot of times we don't mention the time of the action in a Past Simple sentence(Did you see him? vs Have you seen him?/ I didn't see him. vs I haven't seen him. Where did you go? vs. Where have you been? He's worked for Google. vs He worked for Google. etc.). So what's very important -in my experience- is to explain WHY we are using one or the other; the context, the intention, the indications. This is what makes a difference for the learner when it comes to fully understanding and internalizing how and why we use certain tenses in certain situations: English grammar tenses are situation-driven and just explaining the "rules" creates a lot of insecurity and misunderstanding.
I agree with you, Csilla. The fact that American speakers don't follow the rules makes it even more confusing for learners. A situation-based approach is necessary to show the usage in both British and American English.
@@AngloLinkEnglishhello, so, where can someone find a complete advanced approach? I've been looking in your videos, there isn't one, maybe there is and I just missed it?
@@sentient1640 I agree with you. @Anglo-Link , as you explain so clearly, I really think that a video to clarify this point would be great. I'm watching again and again your grammar videos and I bless them and you everyday :) Specially the explanation of the different usage of Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous was my salvation. I hope you can think about that, and I want also thank you a lot for creating this channel.
The Past Participle of 'to come' is also 'come': COME - CAME - COME In British English, the correct Tense is: 'She has just come back.' In American English, 'She just came back.' is also possible.
+Chak Min Chung Yes, you can. That would mean that they are still going up. If you say 'They have gone up this month.', it means that they are not going up any more. I explain this difference in the previous lesson (Lesson 3).
I am a newly employed teacher in high school. I must share my opinion about your lessons. They have been so helpful so far. I `ve sent your lessons to all my students and they are also quite satisfied. Thanks a lot...
Yes, you are right. 'I'm afraid you didn't pass the exam.' implies that both speaker and listener know the date of the exam and the whole thing is clearly in the past. 'I'm afraid you haven't passed the exam.' can mean that the exam has taken place today, or recently. It can also imply that the speaker doesn't know when the exam was and just knows the result. Also, as you mention, there is a slight connotation with the Present Perfect that there may be another chance to take the exam.
I think those are most confusing two tenses in the world. Two of them I mean they don't have any other rival when it comes get confusing. Most common mistakes are about two of them I guess. In general people don't pay attention enough which tense (simple past or present perfect) they should use especially informal speech. I don't, either. Thanks a lot for this useful lesson! :)
You're absolutely right. They are difficult to distinguish. That's probably why in American English, the Past Simple is beginning to replace the Present Perfect in some cases.
In any Prefect Tense (Present, Past, Future, Simple & Continuous), the auxiliary is the verb 'have'. If the main verb is also 'have', you will get structures such as: I have had ..., He had had .... We will have had ... She has been having ... . They could have had ... etc.
Dear Anglo-link, Can we use past tense without using specific time? For instance, I did my home work, i finished my studies, i talked to him. Besides that, If i say, i have watched 2 movies this week. is it correct, or i need to say that i watched 2 movies this week. In these sentences, though specific time is mentioned, yet this week is still going on. therefore, the usage of present perfect tense seems much correct. need your opinion please :)
+Hadi Jarwar Sindhi 'I have watched 2 movies this week.' is the correct sentence because, here, 'this week' means 'until now'. You can use the Past Simple without a time marker in each sentence if you've already set the frame at the start of the conversation.
In British English: She has just COME back. In American English, they sometimes use the Past Simple as an alternative. Therefore, an American might say: She just came back.
It's hard for me to see clear difference between specific time and non specific time in some cases. For example, when she was at college, it's not that specific after all, it was long period or maybe short. So is there any way to see clear difference between these two?
+Darko Ristanovic If you can answer the question 'when', the tense will be 'Past Simple'. He broke his leg. When did he do this? When he was at college. He has broken his leg. I don't know when exactly.
You are right: The Present Perfect Tense is formulated with have/has + Past Participle. However, if you add an adverb such as 'just', 'already', 'never' etc. the adverb comes before the Participle. For more information on this, you can watch my video on 'Word Order, Position of Adverbs'.
You are right. In modern English, the adjective comes before the noun. However, there are expressions from older and formal English with post-positive adjectives that are still used today, such as God Almighty, time immemorial. The Present Simple as an alternative to the Simple Present can be considered as one of these.
My videos don't have any translations. If you can see translations, it's because you've switched on 'automatic captions'. Be careful that they are not always correct.
It is just a question of how usage has evolved among native speakers in informal conversations. You are right: In American English, it is common to sometimes use the Past Simple instead of Present Perfect. However, it is not common, either in American or British English, to use the Present Perfect instead of the Past Simple.
Paridhi Khandelwal Because this month IS still goING and action was in the same period as speaker reports. Described tenses linked to one another. Until this month IS ended you can't say 'went'. Once it is ended and 'this month' became 'last month" etc. it would be correct to say 'went' though both examples have specific timing
If someone's language has been influenced by American English, they will use the Past Simple more often. You might hear: 'I just did it. I already did it. I didn't do it yet.' If you know that the appointment was on Sunday, in other words, the time reference is clear to both of you, it is better to say: Did you meet her? If it is still Sunday, then say: 'Have you met her?' I know the Present Perfect is complicated. Maybe it is a good thing that American English is gradually phasing it out.
I have answered you in the Anglo-Link website Forum. Here is part of the answer again: You should learn vocabulary in context, and ideally as part of a phrase or sentence. Avoid learning lists of words with their translations into your mother tongue. The best sources are RUclips Clips on subjects that interest you and where you want to expand your vocabulary. Choose the simpler clips with easy accents, watch them several times, and write down and memorise the interesting phrases.
Great lesson, Minoo, I was also being confused by the past simple and past perfect in relation to “today; this morning...etc". Thanks to you, as soon as I watched your video tutorials about the "present perfect tense", I began to understand it ..... for example, you can say: "I was in London twice last month" - that is OK. But “I've been to London twice in the last month!”- It`s OK as well. Such a sophisticated difference!🤔
You have understood correctly. There is no specific reason for this; it is just how the English language has developed. In American English, it is sometimes acceptable to use the Past Simple instead of the Present Perfect. They say things like: 'Did you do it yet?' However, if you are preparing for a test, or are in an environment where accuracy is important, differentiate between the two tenses.
I explain this in my video entitled 'State Verbs'. Briefly: 'to live' is treated both as a State and an Action Verb. Therefore, 'I have lived ... for ....' is an alternative to 'i have been living ... for ....'
You can also say 'he hasn't'. The meaning is different though: 'he doesn't' indicates that 'not travelling' is a fact related to his promotion (Present Simple). 'he hasn't' indicates that he hasn't traveled until now, but he may in the future. (Present Perfect)
'completed' is the participial adjective from the verb 'to complete'. So if 'completion' is the result of an action, then it is better to use 'completed'. If something is 'intrinsically complete', then it is better to use the normal adjective 'complete'.
Yes, we use the Past Simple with the 'What did you say?' 'You just said ...' With another verb, you will find that in British English, it is more common to use the Present Perfect: 'I have just called him.', and in American English, the Past Simple: 'I just called him'.
With 'today', in British English, we use the Present Perfect Tense, because the time period is not in the past. In American English, the use of the Past Simple is acceptable.
The sentence is: She MET him (not has met) when she WAS at college. (Past Simple for both verbs). We cannot use the Present Perfect, because 'when she was at college' is a time frame in the past.
Thank you a lot. It was so easy and simple to get it all. You have explained it so easy and understandable. Thank you a lot. From now you're my, one of favourite teacher.
Sorry for the late reply. Yes, the tense is correct. Word order can be improved, and also the Past Participle of 'show' is 'shown': The percentage of the different things have been shown in this bar chart.'
I) Past Simple: The action of getting married took place in the Past. II) Present Perfect: The state of being married continues. The verbs 'to have' and 'to be' are special. I suggest you also watch my video 'State Verbs' for more clarification.
With 'this morning', it depends on when you are speaking: It is 11:00 a.m. >>> I have met him this morning. It is 2:00 p.m. >>> I met him this morning. With the other one, you need to have already mentioned a day in the Past: I went to London last Tuesday to meet him. I met him in the morning.
There isn't a real mistake, if you consider your current job to be more permanent than your previous job in London. However, if you want to keep things very grammatical: Either: Here, I work more than I used to in London. (facts) Or: Here, I am working more than I was working in London. (Temporary situations)
You can say both, but they will mean different things: Prices have gone up this month. = They have now stopped going up. Prices have been going up this month. = They have gone up and are still going up.
Thank you so much! So i know thst you've already known me for a long time. Bacause i always leave a comment every time i've watched your videos. Thank you for clear explanation. This helped me a lot so much! You don't know how happy i am! Because i thought BRITISH and AMERICAN language have the same tenses uses. That's why when i'm trying to make some sentence.... I became confused so thank you so much. By the way i am FILIPINA and im learning this for my incoming school. Thank you so much.... I wish i can see you... Thank you thank you so much... I know thank is not enough but i hope we can able to see each other thank you.
'married' is a participial adjective from the verb 'to marry', and must come after the verb 'to be': to be married >> I have been married for 10 years. 'to marry' is the verb: A man marries a woman. A priest marries a couple. You can put it in the Present Perfect Continuous: This priest has been marrying couples for 10 years.
In most languages, the 'singular you' and the 'plural you' are different words. In English, they are the same. I repeat it, so the students know this fact. Otherwise, they will be wondering how to say 'YOU + YOU'.
I doubt you would get the question ' Have you been working before?'' from a native speaker, as the tense contradicts the word 'before'. The questions can be: 'Where have you worked before?' This refers to the jobs you have had before and have left, and without referring to any specific time in the past. 'Where did you work before you joined your last company? This refers to a past job at a specified time. 'Where have you been working?' This refers to a job you are still engaged in.
Yes, both are correct, but convey different situations: First example: The invitation was first, the decision not to come happened later. Second example: The invitation and the decision happened on the same occasion.
'have had' is the main verb 'to have' in the Present Perfect Tense: I have dinner every night. I am having dinner now. I had dinner last night. I have (already) had dinner.
Thank you for your kindness but as i have not specified the time i am in doubt if to say i have had my car washed or i had my car washed ! Thank you again !
Because you use the word 'yet', which means that you want to know if they have finished it until now. If you want to know if they finished it last week, you should not use 'yet'.
The Present Perfect also replaces the Present Perfect Continuous with State Verbs. For more information on this, I recommend you watch my video entitled 'State Verbs'.
1. We have been .. 2. He has been living ... OR He has lived ... 3. ... had risen .... I recommend you watch my videos on 'ALL TENSES' and 'STATE VERBS' to have some clarification of the use of different Tenses.
That's right. People will certainly understand you, but it will sound incorrect if you use the Present Perfect instead of Past Simple. The other way round is o.k. because of the way the language has evolved in the United States. It is always the way native speakers change their usage that gradually changes the rules.
i am living in asia, i have been learning english since my 13 years old,i have met many english teachers in the past,but what are you teaching that is i can totally understanding and interesting. thank you.
That's right. 'Prices have gone up this month.' means that they have now stopped going up. 'Prices have been going up this month.' means that they are still going up.
If the gap year is finished, which means there is an explicit or implicit reference to a past time frame: She took a gap year. If the gap year continues: She has taken a gap year.
It is really interesting to learn from your lessons.The examples given are pretty simple to understandwhich makes the learning journey more comfortable.Thank you very much.
Yes, this is American usage. However, don't be surprised if you hear it from other native speakers as well, as American English is becoming more and more used everywhere.
Once you have understood the concept of a Tense, you need to practise it by forming sentences with it, and also hearing it used correctly. There are exercises on our website to help you with this.
Some verbs in English are 'irregular', and you just have to memorize their Past Simple and Past Participle forms. You can easily find the list of irregular verbs on the Internet.
Whether it is a statement or a question, if you have an implicit or explicit reference to a time in the past, you should use the Past Simple. I had a meeting in Rome last week. >>> Really? How did you travel there? I am in Rome now for a meeting. Really? How have you travelled there?
i cannot express my happiness after learning from u ....u are great ..u need to upload more and more and more videos on english topicss ,....may GOD bless uuu😍😍😍
For all ESL learners. Here is my interpretation of those two. Correct me if I'm wrong, please. Maybe it is written in some book I don't really know but here are my thoughts after processing thousands of explanations: Once you understand that "I have" means "I have an attribute in present", the rest is relatively easy. "I have played tennis" means "I have an attribute in present which is a direct consequence of playing tennis process". The key word is present. Which is why you are forbidden to use any "ago" or "yesterday". Because you can't say "I have an attribute in present yesterday". "I played tennis" doesn't have that notation of present. It is implied there is a fixed time frame in a past when you played tennis from context. Some examples: - Where have you been? - Oh, I played tennis - When did you do that? How was it? Did you like it? - Where have you been? (Assume you haven't seen a friend for a day or two) - Oh, I played tennis yesterday (you want to give an information about 'yesterday' thus you are obliged to use past simple) - Where have you been? (Assume you haven't seen a friend for a day or two) - Oh, I played tennis and then I decided to go to a movie theatre (same as previous but it is a sequence of facts in a past) The first example and third I would call a simplified case. It is something that native speakers do because they are 'lazy'. There is no 'yesterday' or 'ago'. It is a border case and simply It is better be avoided while you are learning fundamentals. Second case is legit even though the question is written in PP and the answer is in PS. - Where have you been? (Assume you are a boss and you haven't seen a worker for a couple of hours) - Oh, I've played tennis (Means that I played tennis and the result of this process is an 2-hour absence. You and boss both know about this absence (=result). In other words "I have an attribute in present which is my 2-hour absence which is a direct consequence of playing tennis process")
Thank you! Before watching this video the difference beween Present perfect and Past simple was for me a mistery! :D I was not able to undestand the real difference...and now it seems so simple! Thank you again!
This is really helpfull,I'm not a native english speaker and I want to learn english but one of the biggest problems I had was this,the difference between present perfect and past simple,so...Thank You :)
I suggest you watch my video entitled 'All Tenses'. That will give you a review of Past and Future Perfect tenses as well. There are also separate videos on 'Past Tenses' and 'Future Tenses' that will give you more examples.
Very well done Minoo. We distinguish the two tenses by saying we use present perfect tense to talk about the present position of past actions and simple past to tell the time of past actions. We've written a blog at the Teaching English British Council BBC site: Time Tense and Meaning, which the learners and teachers here may find useful.
thank you very much Minoo for this video . I have begun to follow you because of your fantastic explanation. I have a question if you don't mind . Is there any other usage to these tenses specifically present perfect ?
It will become clearer for you if you also watch lessons 3 and 5, where I explain the difference between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous, and the special case of State Verbs.
Join my online English course for a step-by-step programme that gets you to an Advanced (C1) level in written and spoken English. Set up a free account now at anglo-link.com to explore the course!
I hope you will return to posting videos soon Minoo. I miss them a lot, although I'm a native English speaker.
These are the best grammar videos, and grammar resources period, that I have seen. The teacher speaks at an easy to follow pace, and she has an engaging tone.
THANK YOU!
Start by listening to English without trying to understand. This will open your ears to the sounds. Then, start learning the basic structures and vocabulary and make sure you work on your pronunciation as well.
'since 1995' means 'between 1995 and now', and doesn't give a specified time in the past. That is why we use the Present Perfect. If you say 'in 1995', then you can use the Past Simple: He built a house in 1995.
In British English, some of the most common words that combine with the Present Perfect are 'already', 'not yet', 'just', 'recently', 'so far', 'today', 'this week / month / year'.
Your videos explaining the tenses are generally pretty good, but as someone whose first language is not English(I have been learning the language since I was 14, spent most of my life trying to master it and teaching it) and who has been teaching ESL for many years I have to add: this video is not making the difference between Pr. Perf. and Past Simple clear. It's good as a basic explanation or a starter approach, but as we know, a lot of times we don't mention the time of the action in a Past Simple sentence(Did you see him? vs Have you seen him?/ I didn't see him. vs I haven't seen him. Where did you go? vs. Where have you been? He's worked for Google. vs He worked for Google. etc.). So what's very important -in my experience- is to explain WHY we are using one or the other; the context, the intention, the indications. This is what makes a difference for the learner when it comes to fully understanding and internalizing how and why we use certain tenses in certain situations: English grammar tenses are situation-driven and just explaining the "rules" creates a lot of insecurity and misunderstanding.
I agree with you, Csilla. The fact that American speakers don't follow the rules makes it even more confusing for learners. A situation-based approach is necessary to show the usage in both British and American English.
@@AngloLinkEnglishhello,
so, where can someone find a complete advanced approach? I've been looking in your videos, there isn't one, maybe there is and I just missed it?
@@sentient1640 I agree with you. @Anglo-Link , as you explain so clearly, I really think that a video to clarify this point would be great. I'm watching again and again your grammar videos and I bless them and you everyday :) Specially the explanation of the different usage of Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous was my salvation.
I hope you can think about that, and I want also thank you a lot for creating this channel.
The Past Participle of 'to come' is also 'come': COME - CAME - COME
In British English, the correct Tense is: 'She has just come back.'
In American English, 'She just came back.' is also possible.
+Chak Min Chung Yes, you can. That would mean that they are still going up. If you say 'They have gone up this month.', it means that they are not going up any more. I explain this difference in the previous lesson (Lesson 3).
Thank you!
Yes, as long as the exact time of the action is not implicitly or explicitly referred to, this is a perfect sentence.
I am a newly employed teacher in high school. I must share my opinion about your lessons. They have been so helpful so far. I `ve sent your lessons to all my students and they are also quite satisfied. Thanks a lot...
nadica jovanova
You're welcome, Nadica. I'm glad my lessons have been helpful to you and your students.
The 'signal word' doesn't necessarily have to be in the sentence. The past time frame can be set in the previous sentence(s), or can even be implicit.
Now, I understand the concept of present participle and simple past. Thanks!
Yes, you are right. 'I'm afraid you didn't pass the exam.' implies that both speaker and listener know the date of the exam and the whole thing is clearly in the past. 'I'm afraid you haven't passed the exam.' can mean that the exam has taken place today, or recently. It can also imply that the speaker doesn't know when the exam was and just knows the result. Also, as you mention, there is a slight connotation with the Present Perfect that there may be another chance to take the exam.
Brilliant and so clear~! Those comparisons with explanations are superb. Thank you~!
+tgchan
Once again, you're most welcome!
You always add to our information very important details .we appreciat that
You're most welcome, Radwa!
I think those are most confusing two tenses in the world. Two of them I mean they don't have any other rival when it comes get confusing. Most common mistakes are about two of them I guess. In general people don't pay attention enough which tense (simple past or present perfect) they should use especially informal speech. I don't, either. Thanks a lot for this useful lesson! :)
You're absolutely right. They are difficult to distinguish. That's probably why in American English, the Past Simple is beginning to replace the Present Perfect in some cases.
Thanks a lot! I have recognized that your teaching skill is much more higher than anyone else I have ever seen yet.
+Sajid Shah
Thank you, Sajid. I appreciate your kind comment.
I love all your videos. It's all useful.
In any Prefect Tense (Present, Past, Future, Simple & Continuous), the auxiliary is the verb 'have'. If the main verb is also 'have', you will get structures such as: I have had ..., He had had .... We will have had ... She has been having ... . They could have had ... etc.
Dear Anglo-link, Can we use past tense without using specific time? For instance, I did my home work, i finished my studies, i talked to him. Besides that, If i say, i have watched 2 movies this week. is it correct, or i need to say that i watched 2 movies this week. In these sentences, though specific time is mentioned, yet this week is still going on. therefore, the usage of present perfect tense seems much correct. need your opinion please :)
+Hadi Jarwar Sindhi
'I have watched 2 movies this week.' is the correct sentence because, here, 'this week' means 'until now'.
You can use the Past Simple without a time marker in each sentence if you've already set the frame at the start of the conversation.
+Anglo-Link Please give an example to elaborate your last point
+Hadi Jarwar Sindhi
YESTERDAY was a routine day. I did my homework and then watched TV. Later I talked to my sister.
+Anglo-Link Thank you :)
@@AngloLinkEnglish thank you for interactivity, I love every thing about your channel,
In British English: She has just COME back. In American English, they sometimes use the Past Simple as an alternative. Therefore, an American might say: She just came back.
It's hard for me to see clear difference between specific time and non specific time in some cases. For example, when she was at college, it's not that specific after all, it was long period or maybe short. So is there any way to see clear difference between these two?
+Darko Ristanovic
If you can answer the question 'when', the tense will be 'Past Simple'.
He broke his leg. When did he do this? When he was at college.
He has broken his leg. I don't know when exactly.
Anglo-Link Thank you. :)
can "too late" be an answer on the question "when"?
Anglo-Link :
I don't know when I have to use : until now, so far and for a while ? I need your help, Teacher .
You are right: The Present Perfect Tense is formulated with have/has + Past Participle. However, if you add an adverb such as 'just', 'already', 'never' etc. the adverb comes before the Participle. For more information on this, you can watch my video on 'Word Order, Position of Adverbs'.
Excellent pedagogical methods
Thank you!
You are right. In modern English, the adjective comes before the noun. However, there are expressions from older and formal English with post-positive adjectives that are still used today, such as God Almighty, time immemorial. The Present Simple as an alternative to the Simple Present can be considered as one of these.
Thanks a lot for Arabic transaction ,I hope to always do s
Same thing, Teacher .
My videos don't have any translations. If you can see translations, it's because you've switched on 'automatic captions'.
Be careful that they are not always correct.
It is just a question of how usage has evolved among native speakers in informal conversations.
You are right: In American English, it is common to sometimes use the Past Simple instead of Present Perfect.
However, it is not common, either in American or British English, to use the Present Perfect instead of the Past Simple.
The prices went up this month. This month means exact time. So why it's not past simple.
Paridhi Khandelwal Because this month IS still goING and action was in the same period as speaker reports. Described tenses linked to one another.
Until this month IS ended you can't say 'went'. Once it is ended and 'this month' became 'last month" etc. it would be correct to say 'went' though both examples have specific timing
is it not present perfect continous because we dont know since how long the Price is rising?
Yes, it is correct. The action of 'noticing' is completed until now, and the fact that you 'need' a job continues in the present.
The Tense used is the Present Simple for tellinf stories and jokes. This makes the recounting of the events more dynamic and dramatic.
If someone's language has been influenced by American English, they will use the Past Simple more often. You might hear: 'I just did it. I already did it. I didn't do it yet.'
If you know that the appointment was on Sunday, in other words, the time reference is clear to both of you, it is better to say: Did you meet her? If it is still Sunday, then say: 'Have you met her?' I know the Present Perfect is complicated. Maybe it is a good thing that American English is gradually phasing it out.
I have answered you in the Anglo-Link website Forum. Here is part of the answer again:
You should learn vocabulary in context, and ideally as part of a phrase or sentence. Avoid learning lists of words with their translations into your mother tongue. The best sources are RUclips Clips on subjects that interest you and where you want to expand your vocabulary. Choose the simpler clips with easy accents, watch them several times, and write down and memorise the interesting phrases.
Great lesson, Minoo, I was also being confused by the past simple and past perfect in relation to “today; this morning...etc". Thanks to you, as soon as I watched your video tutorials about the "present perfect tense", I began to understand it ..... for example, you can say: "I was in London twice last month" - that is OK. But “I've been to London twice in the last month!”- It`s OK as well. Such a sophisticated difference!🤔
Absolutely! The little addition of 'in' changes the time frame.
After years of mistakes , I finaly understood the way it works !!! Yahoo , thank you so much , love you !
You have understood correctly. There is no specific reason for this; it is just how the English language has developed. In American English, it is sometimes acceptable to use the Past Simple instead of the Present Perfect. They say things like: 'Did you do it yet?' However, if you are preparing for a test, or are in an environment where accuracy is important, differentiate between the two tenses.
I explain this in my video entitled 'State Verbs'. Briefly: 'to live' is treated both as a State and an Action Verb. Therefore, 'I have lived ... for ....' is an alternative to 'i have been living ... for ....'
You can also say 'he hasn't'. The meaning is different though:
'he doesn't' indicates that 'not travelling' is a fact related to his promotion (Present Simple).
'he hasn't' indicates that he hasn't traveled until now, but he may in the future. (Present Perfect)
'completed' is the participial adjective from the verb 'to complete'. So if 'completion' is the result of an action, then it is better to use 'completed'. If something is 'intrinsically complete', then it is better to use the normal adjective 'complete'.
Yes, we use the Past Simple with the 'What did you say?' 'You just said ...' With another verb, you will find that in British English, it is more common to use the Present Perfect: 'I have just called him.', and in American English, the Past Simple: 'I just called him'.
When we speak about someone who had passed on, we always use the Past Simple, because their time frame is now clearly in the past.
With 'today', in British English, we use the Present Perfect Tense, because the time period is not in the past. In American English, the use of the Past Simple is acceptable.
You are the best teacher i´ve ever seen. Your metods are so easy to learn.
Thank you very much for your positive feedback.
The sentence is: She MET him (not has met) when she WAS at college. (Past Simple for both verbs). We cannot use the Present Perfect, because 'when she was at college' is a time frame in the past.
Thank you a lot. It was so easy and simple to get it all. You have explained it so easy and understandable. Thank you a lot. From now you're my, one of favourite teacher.
10 years ago I was 8 years old I had never seen this video before I came your channel thanks a lot my teacher 😍
My pleasure!
Sorry for the late reply. Yes, the tense is correct. Word order can be improved, and also the Past Participle of 'show' is 'shown': The percentage of the different things have been shown in this bar chart.'
I) Past Simple: The action of getting married took place in the Past.
II) Present Perfect: The state of being married continues.
The verbs 'to have' and 'to be' are special. I suggest you also watch my video 'State Verbs' for more clarification.
Thank you Anglo, my English teacher, you are great and you've got amazing voice and pronunciation!
With 'this morning', it depends on when you are speaking:
It is 11:00 a.m. >>> I have met him this morning.
It is 2:00 p.m. >>> I met him this morning.
With the other one, you need to have already mentioned a day in the Past: I went to London last Tuesday to meet him. I met him in the morning.
There isn't a real mistake, if you consider your current job to be more permanent than your previous job in London. However, if you want to keep things very grammatical:
Either: Here, I work more than I used to in London. (facts)
Or: Here, I am working more than I was working in London. (Temporary situations)
You speak so clear that I am understanding what you are saying.
You can say both, but they will mean different things:
Prices have gone up this month. = They have now stopped going up.
Prices have been going up this month. = They have gone up and are still going up.
Thank you so much! So i know thst you've already known me for a long time. Bacause i always leave a comment every time i've watched your videos. Thank you for clear explanation. This helped me a lot so much! You don't know how happy i am! Because i thought BRITISH and AMERICAN language have the same tenses uses. That's why when i'm trying to make some sentence.... I became confused so thank you so much. By the way i am FILIPINA and im learning this for my incoming school. Thank you so much.... I wish i can see you... Thank you thank you so much... I know thank is not enough but i hope we can able to see each other thank you.
You're very welcome! I'm glad my lessons are helping you.
'married' is a participial adjective from the verb 'to marry', and must come after the verb 'to be': to be married >> I have been married for 10 years.
'to marry' is the verb: A man marries a woman. A priest marries a couple. You can put it in the Present Perfect Continuous: This priest has been marrying couples for 10 years.
In most languages, the 'singular you' and the 'plural you' are different words. In English, they are the same. I repeat it, so the students know this fact. Otherwise, they will be wondering how to say 'YOU + YOU'.
Yes, you can. 'before lunch' fixes the time and requires the Past Simple. The word 'already' is just for emphasis here.
You are a great teacher. All of your lessons are very helpful and interesting.
+Olala Petrik
Thank you! I'm really glad that you're enjoying my lessons.
Thank you so much for clarifying on these common mistakes!
Glad it was helpful!
I doubt you would get the question ' Have you been working before?'' from a native speaker, as the tense contradicts the word 'before'.
The questions can be:
'Where have you worked before?' This refers to the jobs you have had before and have left, and without referring to any specific time in the past.
'Where did you work before you joined your last company? This refers to a past job at a specified time.
'Where have you been working?' This refers to a job you are still engaged in.
Yes, both are correct, but convey different situations:
First example: The invitation was first, the decision not to come happened later.
Second example: The invitation and the decision happened on the same occasion.
'have had' is the main verb 'to have' in the Present Perfect Tense:
I have dinner every night.
I am having dinner now.
I had dinner last night.
I have (already) had dinner.
Thank you for your kindness but as i have not specified the time i am in doubt if to say i have had my car washed or i had my car washed ! Thank you again !
Because you use the word 'yet', which means that you want to know if they have finished it until now. If you want to know if they finished it last week, you should not use 'yet'.
The Present Perfect also replaces the Present Perfect Continuous with State Verbs. For more information on this, I recommend you watch my video entitled 'State Verbs'.
Thank you very much. Very good explanation. You have answered a question that I asked when I saw your video on present perfect. Thank you again.
I read 1 book last night.
We played tennis after dinner.
I bought a TV yesterday.
I met my friend when I went to school.
1. We have been ..
2. He has been living ... OR He has lived ...
3. ... had risen ....
I recommend you watch my videos on 'ALL TENSES' and 'STATE VERBS' to have some clarification of the use of different Tenses.
That's right. People will certainly understand you, but it will sound incorrect if you use the Present Perfect instead of Past Simple. The other way round is o.k. because of the way the language has evolved in the United States. It is always the way native speakers change their usage that gradually changes the rules.
i am living in asia, i have been learning english since my 13 years old,i have met many english teachers in the past,but what are you teaching that is i can totally understanding and interesting. thank you.
You're most welcome.
That's right.
'Prices have gone up this month.' means that they have now stopped going up.
'Prices have been going up this month.' means that they are still going up.
Wow now I understand the concept of the present perfect and past simple
Excellent!
If the gap year is finished, which means there is an explicit or implicit reference to a past time frame: She took a gap year.
If the gap year continues: She has taken a gap year.
It is really interesting to learn from your lessons.The examples given are pretty simple to understandwhich makes the learning journey more comfortable.Thank you very much.
You're very welcome, Santosh. I'm glad you've enjoyed my lessons.
Yes, this is American usage. However, don't be surprised if you hear it from other native speakers as well, as American English is becoming more and more used everywhere.
your classes are much professionals and useful for us. thanks a lot
Once you have understood the concept of a Tense, you need to practise it by forming sentences with it, and also hearing it used correctly. There are exercises on our website to help you with this.
Some verbs in English are 'irregular', and you just have to memorize their Past Simple and Past Participle forms. You can easily find the list of irregular verbs on the Internet.
Whether it is a statement or a question, if you have an implicit or explicit reference to a time in the past, you should use the Past Simple.
I had a meeting in Rome last week. >>> Really? How did you travel there?
I am in Rome now for a meeting. Really? How have you travelled there?
i cannot express my happiness after learning from u ....u are great ..u need to upload more and more and more videos on english topicss ,....may GOD bless uuu😍😍😍
Thanks a lot, Makiya! I have a lot of lesson on YT channel (Anglo-Link). I hope you enjoy the others too.
Woww so helpful I am from Lebanon and our lesson on school is about tenses you hepled me alottt thank you
You're welcome.
For all ESL learners. Here is my interpretation of those two. Correct me if I'm wrong, please. Maybe it is written in some book I don't really know but here are my thoughts after processing thousands of explanations:
Once you understand that "I have" means "I have an attribute in present", the rest is relatively easy. "I have played tennis" means "I have an attribute in present which is a direct consequence of playing tennis process". The key word is present. Which is why you are forbidden to use any "ago" or "yesterday". Because you can't say "I have an attribute in present yesterday".
"I played tennis" doesn't have that notation of present. It is implied there is a fixed time frame in a past when you played tennis from context. Some examples:
- Where have you been?
- Oh, I played tennis
- When did you do that? How was it? Did you like it?
- Where have you been? (Assume you haven't seen a friend for a day or two)
- Oh, I played tennis yesterday (you want to give an information about 'yesterday' thus you are obliged to use past simple)
- Where have you been? (Assume you haven't seen a friend for a day or two)
- Oh, I played tennis and then I decided to go to a movie theatre (same as previous but it is a sequence of facts in a past)
The first example and third I would call a simplified case. It is something that native speakers do because they are 'lazy'. There is no 'yesterday' or 'ago'. It is a border case and simply It is better be avoided while you are learning fundamentals. Second case is legit even though the question is written in PP and the answer is in PS.
- Where have you been? (Assume you are a boss and you haven't seen a worker for a couple of hours)
- Oh, I've played tennis (Means that I played tennis and the result of this process is an 2-hour absence. You and boss both know about this absence (=result). In other words "I have an attribute in present which is my 2-hour absence which is a direct consequence of playing tennis process")
Thank you! Before watching this video the difference beween Present perfect and Past simple was for me a mistery! :D I was not able to undestand the real difference...and now it seems so simple! Thank you again!
When DID you complete (something)? is the correct question form.
You are great. Very nice discussion. Thanks slot. I really appreciate your effort
You're most welcome, Rami!
your videos are simply awesome , I love the way u explain , I love your accent , thank u so much for this favour
I'm glad you're enjoying my lessons.
This is really helpfull,I'm not a native english speaker and I want to learn english but one of the biggest problems I had was this,the difference between present perfect and past simple,so...Thank You :)
OMG I now know about Tense very clearly. thanks you so much for your teaching in RUclips.
You're most welcome.
You are an excellent teacher. Thank you so much for your help.
My pleasure, Aryan!
I do really like your explaination,that is so easy to understand. Thank you so much.
All of your lessons was very informative. Thank you teacher's
You're most welocme.
I suggest you watch my video entitled 'All Tenses'. That will give you a review of Past and Future Perfect tenses as well. There are also separate videos on 'Past Tenses' and 'Future Tenses' that will give you more examples.
I finished this lesson 2 minutes ago(Past Simple)
thank you so much
I like this course (Present Simple)
Great!
Very well done Minoo. We distinguish the two tenses by saying we use present perfect tense to talk about the present position of past actions and simple past to tell the time of past actions. We've written a blog at the Teaching English British Council BBC site: Time Tense and Meaning, which the learners and teachers here may find useful.
it is clear and easy to understand it...thank you very much
Thank you so much for your wonderful explanation ❤
You are a great teacher ❤
Thanks a lot!
Yes, these two sentences are correct. You will find the answer to your other question (below) in my video on 'Past Tenses - Lesson 8).
Thank you for helping us
My pleasure, Anwar!
thank you very much Minoo for this video . I have begun to follow you because of your fantastic explanation. I have a question if you don't mind . Is there any other usage to these tenses specifically present perfect ?
There are some minor differences in usage, particularly in spoken langauge, but not in the basic grammatical rules.
'Price' is 'it' (singular), but 'Prices' is a plural word and the pronoun that replaces it is 'they'.
It will become clearer for you if you also watch lessons 3 and 5, where I explain the difference between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous, and the special case of State Verbs.