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Hoca Posted 22 years ago
Grammar

Present Perfect and Past Tense

I've done my homework.
I did my homework.

What is the difference between these two sentences?
In present perfect time is indefinite, isn't it? In these two sentences time is not mentioned.
In what situation one says these two sentences?
Can you help me please?
  

Top answer

" is simply describing a PAST action. In the normal flow of narrative, simple past tense ("I did") is used for the primary foreground actions, like the plot of a story. Present perfect, on the other hand, is used when you are being descriptive (rather than telling a story) and as part of that description need to make reference to something in the past.

— Rommie

  • " is simply describing a PAST action.
  • In the normal flow of narrative, simple past tense ("I did") is used for the primary foreground actions, like the plot of a story.
  • Present perfect, on the other hand, is used when you are being descriptive (rather than telling a story) and as part of that description need to make reference to something in the past.
  • Here's how you might use both forms: I came home and went upstairs.
  • I did my homework.
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5 Answers
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The simplest way to think about this is that "I've done..." is describing your PRESENT situation, by reference to something you've done in the past, whereas "I did..." is simply describing a PAST action.

In the normal flow of narrative, simple past tense ("I did") is used for the primary foreground actions, like the plot of a story. Present perfect, on the other hand, is used when you a
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what is the tense of the sentence when one says "it's gone". &"gone are the days".
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Thanks a lot for your reply. In fact there isn't such a tensein my language. So sometimes it is difficult to understand its use. But I have one question:

For example in a classroom a teacher wants to check the homeworks and ask a student to see if he did his homework or not. What can he say:

"Did you do your homework?" or
"Have you done your homework?"

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I understand your problem, because in my language I don't have this tense either.

"Have you done your homework?" - in British and American English.
"Did you do your homework?" - is possible in American English.

Check this website:

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/s
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