Present Perfect or Past Simple

Question

Hello,I'm not sure which tense: the Present Perfect or the Past Simple I should use in this sentence:"The espresso ..... (be) very strong. That's why I cannot fall asleep now."I think the Present Perfect is better, because in the second sentence I'm talking about the consequences of drinking such a strong coffee: I'm sleepless.  Am I right?Thank you

Shawn79 · Accepted Answer

Past Simple: The espresso was very strong. That's why I cannot fall asleep now.

Hotmale · Answer

Thank you, Shawn. Could you also tell me why not "The espresso have been strong"?

Shawn79 · Answer

The past simple is preferred for actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past.

Today the espresso was too strong, and now I cannot sleep.

The present perfect is vague about when the action occurred and whether it is complete:

Has the espresso been strong? (in the past, perhaps on several occasions, possibly even up to now)

Yes, sometimes it has been strong, but other times it has been week. But for the last two weeks it has been too bitter.

Does that help? You can't use the present perfect in reference to a specific time where the action is complete:

He has been happy. (OK, in general, may still be happy or maybe not)
He has been happy last night. (Wrong, specific completed occurrence)
He was happy last night. (OK, specific completed occurrence)

Shawn79 · Answer

An example of how to use the present perfect with the past simple:

It has been sunny (lately), so we went to the beach (yesterday).

See how the present perfect (has been) is used with an indefinite incomplete time period (lately).

And see how it relates to a simple past (went) of a specific completed time (yesterday).

Hotmale · Answer

I see. In my books I ofen come across such example:

I've broken my leg so I cannot walk now.

I'm wondering how this sentence is different from this one?

The expresso have been verry strong so I cannot fall asleep now.

I slightly changed the original sentence to bring out similarities between these two sentences.

Shawn79 · Answer

HotmaleI've broken my leg so I cannot walk now.

This makes sense because although you broke (Past Simple) your leg at a specific and completed time in the past, it has been broken (Present Perfect) for a period of time up to the present, since you still cannot walk (Present).

But in American English this could also be stated in the Past Simple as: I broke my leg so I cannot walk now.

HotmaleThe expresso have been verry strong so I cannot fall asleep now.

The espresso has been very strong so I stopped drinking it.

You can say this because in this case the result of the espresso being very strong for a period of time up to the present, would cause you to stop drinking it. In fact the espresso may still be strong although you already stopped drinking it.

But the drink or drinks that cause you to not be able to sleep, were at a specific and completed time. The result may be in the present (now you cannot sleep) but the drinks you had are no longer strong, since you drank them. They're gone.

The espresso was very strong so I cannot fall asleep now.

Contrast that with this:

The light has been on so I cannot fall asleep now.

Same result in the present, but the Present Perfect is possible because it suggests the light has been on for a while and is still on. Does that help, or have I made it more confusing? I'm not a teacher, but I want to help!

Present Perfect or Past Simple

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