⏱️🔥PRESENT PERFECT v PAST SIMPLE spiegato bene in SOLO 7 MINUTI! 🇬🇧💪
Summary
TLDRThis video script is an educational guide explaining the differences between the past simple and present perfect tenses in English. It outlines four key contexts for using the present perfect: actions without a specified time, actions that started in the past and continue, actions within an unfinished time frame, and recent actions. The guide also highlights common mistakes to avoid, such as misuse of 'have been' and misunderstandings about when to use past simple versus present perfect. The speaker encourages viewers to visit their YouTube channel or website for more detailed explanations and practice exercises.
Takeaways
- 🕰️ The past simple is used to specify when an action occurred in the past, such as 'yesterday', 'last week', or 'two months ago'.
- 📚 Use past simple when the time period is clearly indicated and finished, like 'When I was young' or 'When I was at school'.
- ❌ Avoid using present perfect when the action's time is specified; use past simple instead.
- 🌟 Present perfect is used when the time of an action is not specified or not important, like 'I have seen that film'.
- 🔄 Present perfect is used with 'for' or 'since' to indicate the duration from a point in the past until now, e.g., 'I have known you for three years'.
- 🚫 Do not use present perfect continuous for state verbs like 'to know'; use simple present perfect.
- 🏞️ For actions that started in the past and continue to the present, consider using present perfect continuous, especially if the action is ongoing.
- 📅 Use present perfect for actions that occurred in a period of time that is not yet finished, like 'this week', 'this month', or 'this year'.
- 🗓️ The day is considered finished in the evening, so past simple can be used then, e.g., 'We had a great day today'.
- 🚫 Avoid using 'just' with past simple in British English; use present perfect instead, like 'They have just arrived'.
- 🎨 Sometimes past simple is used without specifying when, especially if it's common knowledge, like 'Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa'.
Q & A
What are the main differences between the past simple and the present perfect?
-The past simple is used to specify when an action occurred in the past, often with specific time indicators like 'yesterday', 'last week', or 'two months ago'. It is also used when the context makes it clear that you're talking about a precise point in the past. The present perfect, on the other hand, is used when the exact time of the action is not specified or not important, or when the action started in the past and continues to the present.
Can you provide an example of when to use the past simple?
-Yes, if you want to say something that happened yesterday, last week, or two months ago, you would use the past simple. For instance, 'I went to the cinema yesterday' or 'When I was young, I used to play football.'
How is the present perfect used with time expressions like 'for' or 'since'?
-The present perfect is used with 'for' or 'since' to indicate the duration of an action that started in the past and continues to the present. For example, 'I have known you for three years' or 'He has studied English since 2021'.
Is it possible to use the present perfect continuous instead of the present perfect in the examples given?
-Yes, the present perfect continuous can be used in some cases, especially when the action is still ongoing. For example, 'I have been knowing you for three years' or 'He has been studying English since 2021'. However, 'to know' is a state verb and cannot be used in the continuous form, so 'I have known you' is correct, but 'I have been studying English since 2021' is also acceptable.
What is the fourth context in which the present perfect is used?
-The fourth context is when you want to specify that you have done something recently, have never done something, or have not yet done something. For example, 'I have just seen it', 'I have never seen it', or 'I haven't seen it yet'.
What is an error to avoid when using the present perfect?
-One common error is using 'have' or 'has' incorrectly. In English, you cannot say 'They are just arrived'; it should be 'They have just arrived'.
Is it a mistake to use the present perfect if the action started in the past and continues to the present?
-Not necessarily. While it's true that the present perfect is used for actions that started in the past and continue to the present, it's also used for actions that were completed in the past and have relevance to the present, even if they are not ongoing. For example, 'I have been to Australia' is correct even though the trip is a completed action.
Can you use the past simple without specifying when something happened?
-Yes, you can use the past simple without specifying when something happened if it's clear from the context. For example, 'Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa' doesn't specify when, but it's understood because Leonardo da Vinci is known to be deceased.
What is the difference between British and American English in terms of using the present perfect?
-In British English, the present perfect is more commonly used to talk about actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past. In American English, it's more common to use the past simple in such cases.
What is the significance of the number '7' in the script?
-The number '7' signifies the time limit the speaker has set to explain the differences between the past simple and the present perfect, as well as the common mistakes to avoid.
Where can one find more detailed explanations and exercises on these topics?
-For more detailed explanations and exercises, one can refer to the speaker's YouTube channel or their website, as mentioned in the script.
Outlines
📚 Understanding English Tenses
This paragraph explains the difference between the past simple and present perfect tenses in English. It starts with the past simple, which is used to specify a completed action in the past. Examples include actions that happened yesterday, last week, or two months ago. It can also be used to describe a finished period in the past, like 'When I was young' or 'When I was at school'. The speaker emphasizes that if the time is specified, past simple should be used. The present perfect is then introduced with four key rules: 1) It's used when the time of an action is not specified or not important, 2) It's used with 'for' or 'since' to indicate the duration from a point in the past, 3) It's used for unfinished actions over a period of time that is not yet completed, and 4) It's used to indicate that an action has been completed or not yet completed. The speaker also clarifies that while present perfect continuous can be used in some cases, it's not always necessary and advises not to overcomplicate things.
🗣️ Common Mistakes in English Tenses
The second paragraph focuses on common mistakes to avoid when using English tenses. It corrects the misconception that 'to be' can be used with the past participle in the same way as in Italian, emphasizing that in English, 'have' must be used (e.g., 'They have just arrived'). It also addresses the misconception that present perfect is used for actions that started in the past and continue to the present, which is not always the case (e.g., 'I have been to Australia'). The paragraph clarifies that the past simple can be used without specifying when, especially when the context makes it clear (e.g., 'Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa'). The speaker wraps up by encouraging viewers to learn more through detailed explanations on YouTube or their website, where exercises are available.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Present Perfect
💡Past Simple
💡Present Perfect Continuous
💡Time Expressions
💡Unfinished Time
💡Just
💡Never
💡Yet
💡Avoiding Errors
💡Context
Highlights
The difference between present perfect, past simple, and common mistakes to avoid.
Use past simple to specify when an action happened in the past.
Past simple is used with time expressions like 'yesterday', 'last week', or 'two months ago'.
Use past simple when the time period is already specified, such as 'When I was young' or 'When I was at school'.
Past simple is used when the context makes it clear that you are talking about a specific point in the past.
Present perfect is used when you cannot or do not need to specify when the action happened.
Present perfect is used when the action's timing is not important, such as 'I have seen that film'.
Present perfect is used to indicate that an action has been completed at some point in the past.
Present perfect is used with 'for' or 'since' to indicate the duration of an action from a point in the past.
In English, 'for' or 'since' requires present perfect, unlike Italian which uses present simple.
Present perfect continuous can be used for ongoing actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
Use present perfect continuous for actions that are still happening, such as 'I have been studying English since 2021'.
Present perfect is used for actions that occurred in a period of time that is not yet finished.
Use present perfect for actions that happened this week, month, or year, as these periods are not yet complete.
Present perfect is used to indicate that an action has been done recently or for the first time.
Present perfect is often used with 'just', 'never', or 'yet' to indicate recent actions or lack of actions.
Avoid using 'are' with the past participle in English; use 'have' instead, like 'They have just arrived'.
Do not use present perfect just because an action started in the past and continues; it must be relevant to the present.
Past simple can be used without specifying when, like 'Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa'.
The context can make it clear that an action happened in the past, allowing the use of past simple.
The lesson is summarized in seven minutes, providing a quick overview of the differences and mistakes.
For more detailed explanations and exercises, the speaker refers to their YouTube channel and website.
Transcripts
in solo 7 minuti io vi spiego la
differenza tra il present perfect the
past simple e anche gli errori da
evitare Allora mettiamo 7 minuti Are you
ready Let's
go ok iniziamo con il past simple Quindi
quando si usa Praticamente se noi
vogliamo specificare quando un'azione è
successo in passato dobbiamo usare il
past simple non possiamo usare il
present perfect quindi se noi vogliamo
dire qualcosa che è successo Yesterday
last week two months ago per esempio
past simple sempre ma anche se vogliamo
dire quando ero giovane When I was young
oppure quando ero a scuola When I was at
school Comunque stiamo specificando un
periodo finito al passato quindi per
forza past simple oppure se è ovvio dal
contesto che stiamo parlando di un punto
preciso al passato sempre past simple
per esempio se io ti chiedo What did you
do yesterday cosa hai fatto ieri non
devi rispondere con ieri ho fatto questo
no puoi dire semplicemente che cosa hai
fatto perché Yesterday è stato già
specificato chiaro Ok andiamo avanti
Adesso vi spiego quando si usa il
present perfect Praticamente ci sono
quattro regole diciamo molto importante
che dovete ricordare la prima cosa che
praticamente quello che abbiamo già
detto quando si usa present perfect non
si può specificare quando è successo
l'azione forse non ti ricordi quando è
successo Oppure non è importante per
esempio I have seen that film ho visto
quel film quando Boh non mi ricordo non
ho specificato quindi present perfect
oppure He's fixed your computer lui ha
aggiustato il tuo computer non è
importante quando è successo È
importante che è stato aggiustato e si
può USA lo di nuovo quindi sempre
present perfect perché non abbiamo
specificato quindi ricordati se vuoi
specificare quando past simple Ok Il
secondo contesto in cui si usa il
Present perf è quando noi vogliamo
specificare che facciamo una cosa da un
punto al passato sai quando si usa da o
dal quindi in inglese for oppure S
quindi per esempio ti conosco da 3 anni
oppure lui Studia inglese dal 2021 so
che in italiano voi usate il presente
semplice ma in inglese Siccome abbiamo
usato da o dal non possiamo dobbiamo
usare il present perfect con for oppure
S quindi I have known you for three
Years oppure he has studied english
since
2021 quindi F noi usiamo per specificare
un periodo di tempo 3 anni oppure Sens
quando vogliamo specificare quando è
iniziato un'azione
quindi 2021 Ma non è meglio usare il
present perfect continuous in questi
casi Perché l'azione continua ancora
quindi I have been Knowing You For Years
oppure he has been studying english
since
2021 sì e no per la primo esempio non si
può perché to know è un state verb non
si può usare nel progressivo quindi
dobbiamo usare il present perfect
normale invece la seconda Vabbè si può
anche che dire I have been studying
english since 2021 alla fine non cambia
la regola in generale Se se è un'azione
è meglio usare il present perfect
continuous ma non complicare la vita poi
un'altra cosa con verbi tipo live oppure
work puoi scegliere usando il present
perfect o il present perfect continuous
hanno lo stesso significato non cambi
niente Ok adesso andiamo avanti il terzo
contesto unfinished Time quindi se noi
vogliamo dire che abbiamo fatto
un'azione in un periodo di tempo che non
è ancora finito Per esempio this week
this month this Year in my life tutti
questi ancora non sono finiti quindi
dobbiamo usare il present perfect quindi
sono stato al cinema questa settimana
questa settimana non è finito quindi
dobbiamo dire I have been to the cinema
this week non possiamo dire I went to
the cinema this week Us il pass non si
può un'altra cosa io sono stato nel
present perfect è sempre I have been non
è mai I Was been Was been non esiste
quindi è uguale per oggi Today Siccome
non è finito dobbiamo usare sempre il
present perfect bella domanda Sì e anche
no I have been very busy Today va
benissimo perché Today non è finito
present perfect Ma io posso anche dire
We had a great day today past simple
perché per esempio se tardi di sera e
stai parlando con gli amici puoi dire il
past simple perché per te la giornata è
finito non fai più niente quindi in
questo contesto va bene quindi Cont Day
dipende dal contesto Perfect Ok poi il
quarto contesto in cui si usa il present
perfect è se noi vogliamo specificare
che noi abbiamo già fatto qualcosa
appena fatto qualcosa se non abbiamo mai
fatto qualcosa
oppure se non abbiamo ancora fatto
qualcosa per
esempio oppure I have just seen it I
have never seen it I Haven seen it Yet
oppure I still Haven seen it Ma io sento
spesso usato con il past
simple per esempio va bene Ricordatevi
questo è briti english in American
english è molto più comune sentire usato
con il Past e anche va benissimo in
British english si usa il present
perfect Adesso vediamo gli errori da
evitare Ok la prima che in italiano si
può usare o essere o avere più il Par
passato per esempio sono appena arrivati
in inglese non possiamo dire They are
just arrived No sempre avere in inglese
They have just arrived Ok Il secondo
errore che le persone pensano in maniera
troppo semplice Loro pensano che si usa
il present perfect se è un'azione è
iniziato al passato e continua ancora
non è sempre così per esempio I have
been to Australia Quindi quando sono
andato in Australia non importante non
mi ricordo però è un'azione finita al
passato che non c'entra più niente
quindi la cosa più importante che dovete
seguire queste regole che vi sto
spiegando adesso il terzo errore è che
qualche volta si può usare il past
simple senza specificare quando per
esempio Leonardo de Vinci Painted the
Mon Lisa non abbiamo specificato quando
però abbiamo usato il past simple perché
praticamente è ovvio in questo contesto
tutti sanno che Leonardo Vinci è già
morto quindi sappiamo che è una cosa al
passato quindi qui si può usare il past
simple Ok ci siamo tutto spiegato in
sette minuti quindi se volete sapere di
più tutte queste cose spiego in molto
più dettaglio o su YouTube ma anche sul
mio sito dove ci sono tanti esercizi da
fare anche Ok thank you very much See
you soon
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