B1 — IntermediateGrammar· Connecting past and present
Present Perfect or Past Simple?
Choose confidently between "I have done" and "I did" — the classic B1 decision.
18 min Medium
The past simple points to a finished time. The present perfect keeps the action connected to now.
- I visited London in 2019. (finished time)
- I have visited London three times. (life experience, time open)
- She has just finished her homework. (result matters now)
Time words are strong clues: yesterday, last week, in 2019 → past simple. Ever, never, already, yet, just, since, for → present perfect.
If you can ask "When exactly?" and expect an answer, use the past simple.