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Tuatara Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Simple Past versus Present Perfect

I don't fully understand whether to use present perfect tense or imperfect (simple past tense).

What's the difference between:

An error has occured. (present perfect)

and

An error occured. (imperfect)

I cannot tell any difference in meaning. Why choose one tense over the other, please?

It's not my preferred dictionary, but Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary defines imperfect as "of, relating to, or constituting a verb tense used to designate a continuing state or an incomplete action especially in the past".

The same source defines present perfect as: "of, relating to, or constituting a verb tense that...expresses action or state completed at the time of speaking".

I'm a bit unsettled with the latter definition.

Thank you
  

Top answer

Hi Tuatara, What's the difference between: An error has occured. (present perfect) and An error occured. (imperfect) You'll find a huge number of useful explanations on this forum, if you search for 'Present perfect simple past'.

  • Hi Tuatara, What's the difference between: An error has occured.
  • (present perfect) and An error occured.
  • (imperfect) You'll find a huge number of useful explanations on this forum, if you search for 'Present perfect simple past'.
  • It's a very common question.
  • Have a look, and then ask again about any doubts you still have.
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1 Answers
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Hi Tuatara,

What's the difference between:

An error has occured. (present perfect)

and

An error occured. (imperfect)

You'll find a huge number of useful explanations on this forum, if you search for 'Present perfect simple past'. It's a v

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