Compare these sentences:
I have finished my work.
Both describe completed work. The first tells us when it happened: yesterday. The second focuses on the present result: the work is done now.
Use the simple past for a finished time
Use the simple past when the event happened at a definite, completed time in the past. Words such as yesterday, last week and in 2024 often make this choice clear.
She sent the report on Monday.
Use the present perfect for a present connection
The present perfect uses have or has + past participle. It can describe an experience without a finished time, a recent result that matters now, or a situation continuing up to the present.
She has sent the report. (it is available now)
They have lived here for five years. (they still live here)
A useful check
Ask: Am I naming a finished past time? If yes, the simple past often fits. If the time is open or the present result matters, consider the present perfect. This check is useful, but meaning and context still decide the tense.
For example, “I have seen that film yesterday” mixes the present perfect with a finished time. Say “I saw that film yesterday.”
Try it yourself
Choose the better form in each sentence.
- We (completed / have completed) the exercise last night.
- She (lost / has lost) her keys, so she cannot open the door now.
- I (never tried / have never tried) that dish.
Show answers and reasons
- Completed: “Last night” is a finished past time.
- Has lost: The present result is that she cannot open the door.
- Have never tried: This is an experience up to now, with no finished date.
One final practice habit
Do more than choose the right answer. Write one new sentence with a finished time and another that connects a past action to the present. Explain to yourself why you used each tense.