The Past Simple with a period reference?

Question

Can I say;I met her today. (a Presley`s song title)?I thought that in these cases we use the Present Perfect only.So we should say;I have met her todayI am a bit confused. Or we only use it (the Present Perfect) for another period references (this week, month year)?

Tamguatlay · Accepted Answer

I met her today. (correct)
I have met her. ((correct)

Voytaszek · Answer

tamguatlayI met her today. (correct)I have met her. ((correct)

Any difference in the meaning?

Tamguatlay · Answer

I met her today. (The meeting between the subject and the object happened sometime earlier today.)
I have met her. (We do not know when the subject met the object.)

Voytaszek · Answer

So when I say

I have met her today;

I mean this day in general and not a particular (earlier) moment of the day?

Fivejedjon · Answer

You mean that meeting her is is pat of your experience of the day so far. With punctual activities such as 'meet', the present perfect is less common than the past simple with specific time periods in affirmative statements, though more common in negative ones.The act of meeting somebody is short, and is therefore likely to be presented as a past-time action. The state of not-having-met (yet) extends up to the present moment.

You also have to bear in mind that 'today' can refer to the current 24-hour period, or to a past part of that 24-hour period, for example, the working day. This is why it is not possible to give short, clear explanations tat cover every contingency. Context is very important.

The Past Simple with a period reference?

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