Page 19 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

p e l I C U L [i n a v e u u n c ; a n u p a s t d i m
( I d i d ) ( 3 ) : a d v e r b s u s e d w i t h t h e s e t e n s e s

Some time adverbs that connect the past to the present are often used with the present perfect:
• Don't disturb Amy. She's just gone to sleep, (not ...she just went to sleep.)
• Have you seen Robert lately} (not Did you see...)
Other time adverbs like this include already, since (last week), so far, still, up to now, yet.
When we use time adverbs that talk about finished periods of time we use the past simple rather
than the present perfect:
• Marie died, at the age of 86, in 1964. (not Marie has died...)
Other time adverbs like this include (a month) ago, at (3 o'clock), last (week, month), on
(Monday), once (= at some time in the past), then, yesterday.
We often use before, for, and recently with the present perfect and also the past simple.
For example:
...with present perfect ...with past simple

• Nothing like this has happened before. • Why didn't you ask me before}
• We've had the dishwasher for three years. • We had the car for six years.
(= we have still got it) (= we no longer have it)
• A new school has recently opened in New Road. • I saw Dave recently.

Time adverbs that refer to the present, such as today, this morning/week/month, can also be used
with either the present perfect or past simple. If we see today etc. as a past, completed period of
time, then we use the past simple; if we see today, etc. as a period including the present moment,
then we use the present perfect. Compare:
• I didn't shave today (= the usual time has passed; suggests I will not shave today) and
• I haven't shaved today. (= today is not finished; I may shave later or may not)
• I wrote three letters this morning. (= the morning is over) and
• I've written three letters this morning. (= it is still morning)

We use since to talk about a period that started at some point in the past and continues until the
present time. This is why we often use since with the present perfect:
• Since 1990 I have lived in a small house near the coast.
• Tom has been ill since Christmas.
In a sentence which includes a smce-clause, the usual pattern is for the smce-clause to contain a
past simple, and the main clause to contain a present perfect:
• Since Mr Hassan became president, both taxes and unemployment have increased.
• I haven't been able to play tennis since I broke my arm.
However, we can use a present perfect in the swce-clause if the two situations described in the
main and s/nce-clause extend until the present:
• Since I've lived here, I haven't seen my neighbours.

We use the present perfect with ever and never to emphasise that we are talking about the whole
of a period of time up until the present:
• It's one of the most magnificent views I have ever seen. (= in my whole life)
• I've never had any problems with my car. (= at any time since I bought it)
We use the past simple with ever and never to talk about a completed period in the past:
• When he was young, he never bothered too much about his appearance.

Present perfect and past simple (1) and (2): Past continuous and past simple =
Since: reasons => |ШШЛ