Present Perfect vs Simple Past

Strangers on a Plane
Transitional moments in English grammar
When does the present perfect change to the simple past?

Nicole Morgan is sitting on a plane. She is flying back to Australia, her native land.
She has been living in Spain for 10 years but now she intends to leave the country
for good. She has a job offer in Melbourne and she has accepted it. She is sitting
next to a Spanish man who is travelling to Australia on business. The departure of
the flight is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

In this conversation, In this conversation,

the time is 10:55 a.m. the time is 11:25 a.m.

How long have

Spaniard: you been in Spaniard: How long were you in Spain?
Spain?

I've been here for

Nicole: Nicole: I was there for 10 years.
10 years.

Have you been in

Spaniard: Madrid the whole Spaniard: Were you in Madrid the whole time?
time?

Well, really I've

never lived in
Madrid. I've been Well, really I never lived in Madrid. I lived
Nicole: Nicole:
living the entire the entire 10 years in Guadalajara.
10 years in
Guadalajara.

Has it been a
Spaniard: good experience Spaniard: Was it a good experience for you?
for you?

Yes, it's been a

wonderful
experience. I've Yes, it was a wonderful experience. I met
Nicole: met a lot of Nicole: a lot of people and I made a lot of
people and I've friends.
made a lot of
friends.

Fijaos que nada más despegar el avión, el tiempo del verbo cambia. Cinco minutos antes
del despegue se emplea lo que en inglés se llama el presente perfecto y, nada más
despegar, se abandona este tiempo en busca del pasado simple.

El pasado simple entra en escena en el momento en que las acciones en cuestión dejan de
tener validez en el presente. Por esto nos extraña a los angloparlantes cuando oímos a una
persona, ya en la oficina, decir "No he dormido bien esta noche". En inglés decimos "I didn't
sleep well last night" (No dormí bien anoche). Lo decimos así porque ya estamos en la
oficina y ya es por la mañana. La noche ya no está vigente.
Repasa estos
cuatro puntos
Agree - jamás se dice "I am agree" / "Are you agree?". Decimos I
para aumentar
Agree / Do you agree?
tu vocabulario.
Key Learning:

One They made a killing.

expression: Hicieron un gran negocio.

To work out - Salir (más barato).

One phrasal
verb: It works out cheaper going by public transport.
Sale más barato ir en transporte público.

Skint - Sin Blanca.

One adjective:
When I was a student, I was always skint.