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Dokterjokkebrok Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Simple Past vs Simple Present Perfect

Hi,

A colleague of mine proposed the exercise below to teach students how to distinguish between the simple past and present perfect. I thought that maybe some of her sentences lacked context or were ambivalent. Kindly share your thoughts on this. Thank you!

1. You (be) a beautiful baby.
2. I (not read) her latest book.
3. (you visit) India?
4. My great-great-grandmother (live) in Glasgow.
5. Columbus (not discover) America: the Indians already (know) where it was.
6. Amazing news! Scientists (discover) a new planet!
7. Who (give) Shakespeare his first job?
8. How many times (you be) in love!
9. I (never enjoy) a holiday as much as this one.
10. ‘(you hear) the thunder?’ ‘ No, nothing wakes me up.’

Best regards,

DJB
  

Top answer

dokterjokkebrok I thought that maybe some of her sentences lacked context or were ambivalent. I agree. For some of the sentences, either past or present perfect would be appropriate.

— AlpheccaStars

  • dokterjokkebrok I thought that maybe some of her sentences lacked context or were ambivalent.
  • I agree.
  • For some of the sentences, either past or present perfect would be appropriate.
  • More context is required.
  • 2.
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7 Answers
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dokterjokkebrok I thought that maybe some of her sentences lacked context or were ambivalent.
I agree. For some of the sentences, either past or present perfect would be appropriate. More context is required.

2. I (not read) her latest book.
I haven't read her latest book.
I didn't read her latest book.

3. (you visit) India?
Hav
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Well, these are the responses I would give; they seem to me to be the only possible answers:

1. You must have been a beautiful baby.
2. I haven't read her latest book.
3. Have you visited India?
4. My great-great-grandmother lived in Glasgow.
5. Columbus did not discover America: the Native Americans
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In some sentences only one choice is feasible. In other cases one choice seems most likely, but the alternative is not impossible. I think I would be able to guess in every case which was the intended (most likely) answer.

(I didn't see the answers above when I first posted this.)
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I agree that there is one most plausible or most frequent choice.
However, to distinguish usage, each context and alternative should be presented. Otherwise, the students will only be confused when they come across contrary examples.
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Hi and thank you all for your answers!

Alphecca, I was wondering what different kinds of context you would use for the ones you found ambiguous. What strikes me is that you are saying 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 require more context, while MM says that the answers he gave are the only possible answers.

I looked up a thing or two in my reference works and think I have an idea what causes th
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dokterjokkebrok MM says that the answers he gave are the only possible answers.
Though I'll change my 'possible' to 'plausible'. There are other structures that are grammatically correct, I see.
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dokterjokkebroksimple past and present perfect
Good idea to have exercises on this. I'll assume that the idea is to use one or the other and not to make up other ways of supplying a verb form.

1. You (be) a beautiful baby. 'were'. The person being spoken to is almost certainly an adult, so there is a time gap between his
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