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Jenniferunagi Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Present Perfect versus simple past

Hi,

I have some questions regarding on grammer.

For example:

I have had three tests last week

or

I had 3 tests last week.

Thanks!

Jennifer Unagi:)
  

Top answer

Actually you didn't ask a question -- I assume that you wanted to ask which tense is correct or when you should use each tense. Present perfect is used to emphasize what has occurred in the past -- it is used when WHAT has happened is more important than WHEN it happened. So in your first example, your present perfect example, the emphasis would be on three being the number of tests you had last week or that tests are what you had three of last week.

— Anonymous

  • Actually you didn't ask a question -- I assume that you wanted to ask which tense is correct or when you should use each tense.
  • Present perfect is used to emphasize what has occurred in the past -- it is used when WHAT has happened is more important than WHEN it happened.
  • So in your first example, your present perfect example, the emphasis would be on three being the number of tests you had last week or that tests are what you had three of last week.
  • Past is used if WHEN something happenned is not less improtant than WHAT.
  • So in your past tense example, the meaning has changed a little bit, emphasizing that last week was a particularly important time because you had three tests.
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6 Answers
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Actually you didn't ask a question -- I assume that you wanted to ask which tense is correct or when you should use each tense.

Present perfect is used to emphasize what has occurred in the past -- it is used when WHAT has happened is more important than WHEN it happened. So in your first example, your present perfect example, the emphasis would be on three being the number of tests you
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Anonymous If both of these are as important as the other, us past tense to keep your writing as simple as practical.
Very well explained. [Y]
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Thanks for the detailed explaination. I really appreciate it:D
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jenniferunagiHi,
I have some questions regarding --on-- grammar.

For example:
I have had three tests last week

or

I had 3 tests last week.

Thanks!

Jennifer Unagi:)
Hi Jennifer,

Both the simple past and present perfect are frequently used tenses.

Here are some references:
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Thanks for the additional information:D
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Addition:

Your first sentence is not natural because the time frame of present perfect conflicts with the time frame "last week". "Last week" is completed in the past. The present perfect implies that the action is not totally completed.

I have had three tests last week. Not natural.

I have had three tests already this week. Fine. "This week" is not over.
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