Present Perfect and Past 1
When to use I have done vs I did — finished time vs unfinished time
Present Perfect = the Situation Now
The present perfect (has done / have done) is a present tense. It tells you about the situation now.
The past simple (did) tells you about the past only. It says nothing about now.
Compare these two sentences:
- Sarah has lost her access badge. — She doesn’t have it now.
- Sarah lost her access badge. — We don’t know if she has it now or not. We only know she lost it at some point in the past.
| Sentence | What we know |
|---|---|
| They have gone to the conference. | They are away now. |
| They went to the conference, but I think they’re back now. | They are not away anymore — use past simple. |
| The rain has stopped, so we can walk to the office. | It is not raining now. |
| The rain stopped for a while, but now it’s raining again. | It stopped temporarily in the past — use past simple. |
The rule is simple: if the result of the action still matters right now, use have done. If the situation has already changed, use did.
New or Recent Happenings
You can use the present perfect to talk about something new or recent:
- I‘ve fixed the printer. It’s working now.
- The company has hired a new project manager!
You can also use the past simple here. Both are correct:
- I fixed the printer. It’s working now.
But use the past simple — not the present perfect — for things that are clearly not recent:
- The founder started the company in 1998. (not
has started) - My manager grew up in Osaka. (not
has grown up)
Compare:
- Someone has designed a new version of the app. — This is news.
- Who designed the original logo? (not
has designed) — This happened a long time ago.
Introducing News, Then Continuing in Past Simple
Use the present perfect to introduce a piece of news. When you continue talking about the details, switch to the past simple:
- A: I‘ve burned my hand.
- B: How did you do that? (not
have you done) - A: I picked up a hot pan. (not
have picked up)
Another example:
- A: Someone has spilled coffee on the report.
- B: Well, it wasn’t me. I didn’t do it. (not
hasn’t been/haven’t done)
The present perfect opens the topic. The past simple fills in the details.
Summary
| Use present perfect (have done) | Use past simple (did) |
|---|---|
| The result matters now: He has lost his key. (He doesn’t have it.) | The situation already changed: He lost his key but found it later. |
| New or recent news: We‘ve hired a new intern. | Not recent: The company opened its first office in 2005. |
| First mention of news: I‘ve finished the report. | Details that follow: I sent it to you ten minutes ago. |
Quick Self-Check
The office is empty. Everybody _____ home.
Select your answer:
Helen _____ to New York for a holiday, but she's back home in London now.
Select your answer:
A: "I've burned my hand." B: "How _____ that?"
Select your answer:
Our team leader _____ up in a small town outside Seoul.
Select your answer:
Can you help us? Our company car _____ down.
Select your answer: