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Past Perfect Simple
— vs. —
Present Perfect Simple

Presentation / Objective

A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER, A CHANGE FOR THE WORSE

French writer and winner of the 1921 Nobel Prize for Literature, Anatole France said:

Facing change is a process of uncertainty known to all humans. Such transition from the familiar to the unknown throughout one’s life can be best described with two essential structures in English: the Past Perfect Simple and the Present Perfect Simple.

In this topic, you will find a brief review of the grammatical structures known as the Past Perfect Simple and the Present Perfect Simple as well as their respective uses in the narration of finished or unfinished events.

As you go over this topic, make sure to pay attention to essential aspects of language such as verb forms, time expressions, connectors and punctuation.

Objective

By the end of this topic, you will:
Identify the difference between the past perfect simple and the present perfect simple by contrasting the uses of each of these two verb tenses, mainly used for the narration of past complete or incomplete actions (which continue in the present).

Content

So, let’s start reviewing the Past Perfect Simple and its uses:

Can you remember anything about the Present Perfect Simple? Once again, here are its different uses:

Listening

Activity 1

Out with the old and in with the new.

Hands

Myriams. (2016). Hands. Retrieved from: https://pixabay.com/en/hands-toddler-hand-child-s-hand-1797401/

How possible is it to keep a good relationship with someone all your life?

You will listen to a man phoning a radio program called “Out with the old and in with the new” talking about the most important people in his life now and ten years ago. Listen and answer these questions.




Reading

Activity 2

My Woodstock Experience

 

You are going to read a text about the Woodstock Festival. Seven sentences have been removed from the reading. Choose from the sentences A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Scenario

Klapi. (2003). Festival. Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Przystanek_Woodstock_2003.jpg



Speaking

Activity 3

A Life-changing

.

Following the format of the text: “My Woodstock Experience” in the reading activity, prepare a presentation about an anecdote that somehow has changed your life in 4 to 6 minutes. Make sure to use: Past Perfect Simple (at least four times) and Present Perfect Simple (at least twice) along with your recording. Take a look at the rubric to self-assess this activity.



   

Writing

Activity 4

Letter to my Younger Self

Quote

Lass, N. (2013). Quotes. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pictoquotes/9726846703

Write a letter to your younger self back in time ten years ago. You have the opportunity to reflect on the person you used to be and discover if you have changed at all or if you had done something differently. Make sure to use: Past Perfect Simple (at least four times) and Present Perfect Simple (at least twice) along with your letter.

    Remember a couple of things:
    A. We usually have to contrast the Past Perfect Simple with the Past Simple, so sentences make more sense to refer to the chronological order of actions.

    B. We can use the Present Perfect Simple to refer to:
  • 1) Unfinished past actions.
  • 2) Past Experiences.
  • 3) Unspecified Past actions.
  • 4) Recent Past.

Write your letter in about 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

You can use some of these sentence starters….

  • Your life has turned out quite different from what you imagined…
  • And what about the world you lived in back when you were…
  • I was in 2017, and there you were in 2007…
  • Here are some advice and good wishes from “present me”…
  • These are the things I expected you had accomplished by the time you turned (X years old)

Look at the rubrics to self-assess this activity.


   

Self-assessment

1. Multiple choice

Identifying keywords is important because in that way you can differentiate two tenses. Read each of the following sentences, check keywords so that you select the option that best completes the sentence.



 

2. A Change of Job.

Do changing jobs sound like a good option for young people?

TIME FOR A CHANGE?
Chefs Afloat are looking for all levels of kitchen staff to work on a luxury ship for this winter cruises season. Recognized training and experience essential. Send a covering letter and CV.

There is one letter replying to the advertisement above. Complete the letter by choosing the most appropriate option: Present Perfect Simple or Past Perfect Simple.

References

Basic references

• Naunton, J., Adamson, D., & Page, J. (1997). Think ahead to first certificate (1st ed., pp. 72-81). Harlow: Longman.

Complementary references


• GrammarBank.com. (2017). Present Perfect vs Past Perfect Exercise. Retrieved from: http://www.grammarbank.com/present-perfect-or-past-perfect.html
• Perfect English Grammar. (n.d.). Past Perfect Exercise 1. Perfect-english-grammar.com. Retrieved from: http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/past-perfect-exercise-1.html
• English Grammar - Present Perfect Simple. (2011). Myenglishpages.com. Retrieved from: http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-lesson-present-perfect.php
• Focus English School. (2013). Present Perfect vs. Past Perfect exercise. Focus.olsztyn.pl. Retrieved from: http://www.focus.olsztyn.pl/en-exercises-present-perfect-past-perfect.html#.WQfuVvk1_IU