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Anonymous Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Present perfect / simple past

Hi,

I know about the rules about the simple past and the present perfect, but sometimes I am still unclear. In these examples, is either correct?

(Someone gave a speech and I talk to him some time later):

That was a nice speech you gave. / That was a nice speech you've given.

(Someone tells me I'm in trouble).

What did I do to deserve this? / What have I done to deserve this?

I've heard that in AmE the simple past is more common and in BrE the present perfect.

  

Top answer

(Someone gave a speech and I talk to him some time later): That was a nice speech you gave. / That was a nice speech you've given . The focus is on a past event.

— Clive

  • (Someone gave a speech and I talk to him some time later): That was a nice speech you gave.
  • / That was a nice speech you've given .
  • The focus is on a past event.
  • (Someone tells me I'm in trouble).
  • What did I do to deserve this?
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2 Answers
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(Someone gave a speech and I talk to him some time later):

That was a nice speech you gave. / That was a nice speech you've given. The focus is on a past event.

(Someone tells me I'm in trouble).

What did I do to deserve this? / What have I done to deserve this? Both OK, but #2 is better because the focus is on the

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I've given a speech. Fine. Yet it's still a past event. But the focus is not on the past. Perhaps the speaker means eg that he knows how to give a speech.

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That was a nice speech you gave./ That was a nice speech you've given. I see no concern here about the present situation.

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