03. The Tenses: Present Perfect Simple vs. Past Simple www.gapol.

ro
!!!!!!! Diferenta intre Prezent Perfect Simplu si Trecutul Simplu este ca la Prezent Perfect Simplu timpul NU ESTE DAT sau
ESTE VAG iar la Trecut Simplu timpul ESTE DAT.

I have played a computer game (recently). (Eu am jucat un joc pe calculator [recent]).

I played a computer game yesterday. (Eu am jucat un joc pe calculator ieri.)

My deskmate ... a lot. (Colegul meu de banca a mancat mult.)

a) has eaten

b) ate

c) have eaten

d) eat

My deskmate ... a lot an hour ago. (Colegul meu de banca a mancat mult acum o ora.)

a) has eaten

b) ate

c) have eaten

d) eat

Present Perfect
Simple
Form: HAVE/HAS + vb.III/-ed (verbul HAVE la prezent plus verbul de conjugat la forma a treia daca este verb neregulat sau
verb la infinitiv plus -ed daca este verb regulat)

See – saw – seen

I have seen

You have seen

He/She/It has seen

We/You/They have seen

I/ You/ We/ They haven’t seen

He/ She/ It hasn’t seen

Have I/ you/ we/ they seen?

Has he/ she/ it seen ?

USE:

1. Past action -> Time not given -> present effect: (Prezentul Perfect Simplu se foloseste atunci cand actiunea s-a petrecut in
trecut, dar timpul nu este dat si exista un efect in prezent => TRECUT - FARA ADVERB DE TIMP - EFFECT IN
PREZENT)

E.g. I have seen Jane. (now I know what she looks like) (Am vazut-o pe Jane.) (si acum stiu cum arata - desi timpul cand am
vazut-o nu este specificat)

I have lost my key. (now I can't enter the house) (Am pierdut cheia.) (acum nu pot sa intru in casa - timpul cand am
03.08.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 1
03. The Tenses: Present Perfect Simple vs. Past Simple www.gapol.ro
pierdut cheia nu este specificat)

My father ... this book. (Tatal meu a citit cartea aceasta.)

a) read

b) has read

c) have read

d) reads

2. Vague time: (Prezentul Perfect Simplu se foloseste atunci cand timpul dat este vag)

Adverbe specifice:

Just/ only just (tocmai):

E.g. We have just arrived. (Noi tocmai am sosit)

Already (deja):

E.g. She has already bought a car. (Ea deja a cumparat o masina)

Never/ ever (niciodata/ vreodata):

E.g. I have never seen such a house. (Eu nu am vazut niciodata o astfel de casa)

Often/ rarely (adesea/ rareori):

E.g. He has often thought of quitting his job. (El s-a gandit adesea sa renunte la slujba lui)

Always (intotdeauna):

E.g. She has always loved reading books. (Ea intotdeauna a iubit sa citeasca carti)

(Toate adverbele de mai sus se folosesc intre auxiliarul HAVE si verbul la forma a III-a sau cu -ed)

My brother ... for today. (Fratele meu a invatat deja astazi.)

a) already studied

b) has studied already

c) has already studied

d) studied already

Recently (recent):

E.g. We have spoken recently. (Noi am vorbit recent)

Lately/ of late (in ultimul timp):

E.g. I haven’t seen him lately. (Eu nu l-am vazut in ultimul timp)

So far (pana acum):

E.g. What have you done so far? (Ce ai facut pana acum?)

In my/ your/ his/ her life (in viata mea/ ta/ lui/ ei):

E.g. She has never lied in her life. (Ea nu a mintit niciodata in viata ei)

Yet (inca/ deja): (used only in negative/ interrogative sentences) (folosit numai in propozitii negative si interogative):

E.g. They haven’t left yet./ Have you finished yet? (Ei nu au plecat inca./ Ai terminat deja?)

!!! S + Verb Present Perfect negative + YET => S + HAVE + YET + Vb. Long Infinitive

03.08.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 2

03. The Tenses: Present Perfect Simple vs. Past Simple www.gapol.ro
I haven't eaten yet. => I have yet to eat.
NU am mancat inca. => Mai am inca sa mananc.

Since (de cand) (arata inceputul actiunii):

E.g. She has slept since noon. (Ea doarme de la pranz. - arata de cand a inceput actiunea)

For (timp de) (arata durata):

E.g. She has slept for 10 hours. (Ea doarme de 10 ore. - arata durata actiunii)

In the last/ past day(s)/ week(s)/ month(s)/ year(s) (in ultimele zile/saptamani/ luni/ ani sau in ultima zi/ saptamana/ luna/ in
ultimul an):

E.g. I haven’t seen her in the last month. (Nu am vazut-o in ultima luna.)

(Toate adverbele de mai sus se folosesc la finalul propozitiei)

We ... what to do about the party so far. (NU am decis ca sa facem in legatura cu petrecerea pana acum.)

a) haven't decided

b) didn't decide

c) aren't deciding

d) haven't decide

How long/ long (de cat timp/ (cat) de mult):

E.g. How long have you waited?/ Has he been here long? (De cat timp astepti?/ Este aici de mult?)

It’s the first time/ This is the first time/ It’s the second time/ This is the second time/ It’s the third time/ This is the third time/ It’s the
only/ last time (este prima oara/ este a doua oara/ este a treia oara/ este singura data/ este ultima data) :

E.g. It’s the first time wehave eaten at this restaurant. (Este prima oara cand am mancat la acest restaurant.)

(Toate adverbele de mai sus se folosesc la inceputul propozitiei cu exceptia lui long care se foloseste la final)

It's the last time I ... him with his problems. (Este ultima oara cand l-am ajutat cu problemele lui.)

a) helped

b) have helped

c) did help

d) have help

Past Simple
Form: vb.II/-ed (forma a II-a a verbului de conjugat daca este verb neregulat SAU verb la infinitiv plus terminatia -ed daca
este verb regulat)

see – saw – seen/ do – did - done/ work - worked - worked

I saw/ I didn’t see/ Did I see?

You saw/ You didn’t see/ Did you see?

He saw/ He didn’t see/ Did he see?

ATENTIE: la negativ si interogativ verbul se intoarce la forma de INFINITIV: I didn't work/ He didn't see/ Did they do?

USE:

1. Past action -> Time given -> no present connection : (Trecutul Simplu se foloseste atunci candtimpul din trecut cand

03.08.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 3

03. The Tenses: Present Perfect Simple vs. Past Simple www.gapol.ro
actiunea s-a intamplat ESTE DAT/ SPECIFICAT si nu exista nici o legatura cu prezentul)

Adverbe specifice:

yesterday (ieri):

E.g. I saw Jane yesterday. (Am vazut-o pe Jane ieri)

the day before yesterday (alalteri):

E.g. She called me the day before yesterday. (Ea m-a sunat alalteri)

last week/ month/ year (saptamana trecuta/ luna tracuta/anul trecut):

E.g. We talked last month. (Noi am vorbit luna trecuta)

Three days/ weeks/ months/ years ago (cu trei zile/saptamani/ luni/ ani in urma):

E.g. She called five hours ago. (Ea a sunat acum cinci ore/ cu cinci ore in urma)

Once/ once upon a time/ in the past (odata/ a fost odata ca niciodata/ in trecut):

E.g. We met her once in the past. (Noi am intalnit-o pe ea odata in trecut)

In 1990/ at 4 o’clock/ in May/ on December 15th/ on Christmas Day (in anul 1990/ la ora 4/ in mai/ pe data de 15 decembrie/
in ziua de Craciun -> daca se da un an/ o ora/ o luna/ o data se foloseste Trecutul Simplu):

E.g. We visited them in July. (Noi i-am vizitat in luna iulie)

Just now (adineaori):

E.g. She talked with me just now. (Ea a vorbit cu mine adineaori)

When (Time Clause) (cand -> daca avem o temporala cu un verb la trecut in ea se foloseste Trecutul Simplu in principala):

E.g. I saw her / when I was in Paris./ (Am vazut-o cand eram in Paris)

Location given (daca se da locul unde s-a petrecut actiunea atunci se foloseste Trecutul Simplu):

E.g. They met in London. (Ei s-au intalnit in Londra)

My sister ... her friends last week. (Soara mea s-a intalnit cu prietenii ei saptamana trecuta.)

a) has met

b) meets

c) is meeting

d) met

She ... . (Ea a vorbit cu mama ei adineaori.)

a) has just now talked with her mother

b) talked with her mother just now

c) is talked with her mother just now

d) just now talked with her mother

We ... her birthday on 23rd of September. (Noi am sarbatorit ziua ei de nastere pe 23 septembrie.)

a) celebrated

b) have celebrated

c) did celebrated

03.08.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 4

03. The Tenses: Present Perfect Simple vs. Past Simple www.gapol.ro
d) has celebrated

!!! Daca se foloseste DID in fata unui verb la Infinitiv atunci inseamna ca acctentuez pe actiune: E.g. Iloved him. (Eu l-am iubit) -
> I DID LOVE him. (Eu chiar l-am iubit)

2. Repeated action in the past (actiuni repetate in trecut):

Adverbs: often (adesea)/ rarely (rareori)/ seldom (rareori)/ sometimes (cateodata)/ usually (de obicei)/occasionally
(ocazional)/always (intotdeauna)

E.g. We often went in the park as children. (Noi adesea ne duceam in parc atunci cand eram copii)

3. USED TO + verb Long Infinitive = WOULD + verb Short Infinitive (used to describe habits and routines in the past)
(obisnuiam sa se foloseste pentru a descrie obiceiuri din trecut):

E.g. We used to run in the park when we were younger. (Obisnuiam sa alergam prin parc cand eram mai tineri)

We would run in in the park when we were younger. (Obisnuiam sa alergam prin parc cand eram mai tineri)

!!! ATENTIE: only USED TO can be used to talk about STATES in the past (numai USED TO se poate folosi pentru a vorbi
despre STARI din trecut):

E.g. He used to love her. (El obisnuia sa o iubeasca)

He would love her. -> NOT POSSIBLE (nu este posibil sa folosim WOULD pentru a exprima o stare. WOULD nu se
foloseste cu cele 4 grupe de verbe care nu se pun in mod normal la aspect continuu)

They ... carols for Christmas when they were children. (Ei obisnuiau sa cante colinde de Craciun cand erau copii.)

a) used to sing

b) would to sing

c) used sing

d) used to singing

She ... that he was the best. (Ea obisnuia sa creada ca el era cel mai bun.)

a) would believe

b) used to believe

c) used to believing

d) would to believe

FOR can be used with both Present Perfect Simple (the action is still happening) and Past Simple (the action
happened in the past but there is no connection with the present)
(FOR se poate folosi cu ambele timpuri, dar cand este folosit cu Prezentul Perfect Simplu inseamna ca actiunea inca
se mai intampla iar cand este folosit cu Trecutul Simplu inseamna ca actiunea si durata de timp cand aceasta a avut
loc s-au terminat demult)

I have lived in London for 5 years. (I am still in London) (Locuiesc in Londra de 5 ani si inca sunt acolo)

I lived in London for 5 years and then I moved to Paris where I have lived ever since. (I no longer live in London)
(Am locuit in Londra timp de 5 ani si pe urma m-am mutat in Paris unde locuiesc de atunci)

03.08.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 5

03. The Tenses: Present Perfect Simple vs. Past Simple www.gapol.ro
This morning/ afternoon/ evening, today, this summer/ autumn/ winter/ springcan be used with both Present Perfect
Simple and Past Simple
(Dimineata/ dupamaiaza/ seara aceasta; astazi; vara/ toamna/ iarna/ primavara aceasta se pot folosi cu ambele
timpuri, dar cand este folosit cu Prezentul Perfect Simplu inseamna ca inca mai sunt in perioada de timp exprimata
iar cand este folosit cu Trecutul Simplu inseamna ca perioada de timp s-a terminat)

Present Perfect: E.g. I have had breakfast this morning. (it is still morning) (Am luat micul dejun in aceasta
dimineata si este inca dimineata)

Past Simple: E.g. I had breakfast this morning, but now it’s 3 p.m. and I am hungry again. (Am luat micul dejun
dimineata aceasta, dar acum este 3 dupamasa si imi este foame din nou)

PRESENT PERFECT is followed by PAST SIMPLE (Daca avem Prezent Perfect Simplu in principala atunci in
secundare sau in propozitiile urmatoare acesta este urmat de Past Simplu)

E.g. I have met Mary recently. She told me that she was happy with the new job. (Am intalnit-o pe Mary recent. Ea mi-a
spus ca este fericita cu noua slujba)

SINCE si EVER SINCE introduc o subordonata temporala si pot sa aiba dupa ele atatPrezent Perfect Simplu cat si Trecut
Simplu:

ATENTIE: In principala trebuie sa avem intotdeauna un verb la Prezent Perfect

!!!!! Main Clause (EVER) SINCE Secondary Clause

Present Perfect (EVER) SINCE Past Simple (action happened ONCE in the past)

I have liked her since she moved here last week. (Imi place de ea de cand s-a mutat aici saptamana
trecuta)

In principala se foloseste Prezent Perfect Simplu care este cerut de SINCE iar DUPA SINCE in secundara se foloseste Trecutul
Simplu DACA actiunea s-a intamplat O SINGURA DATA in trecut.

My mother ... me to behave ever since she ... home from work. (Mama imi spune sa ma port frumos de cand s-a intors acasa
de la munca.)

a) has told/ has arrived

b) told/ has arrived

c) told/ arrived

d) has told/ arrived

Present Perfect (EVER) SINCE Present Perfect (action is still happening)

I have liked this car ever since I have had it. (Imi place masina asta de cand o am)

She has been difficult ever since she has been here. (Ea este dificila de cand este aici)

He has loved her ever since he has known her. (El o iubeste de cand o cunoaste)

In principala se foloseste Prezent Perfect Simplu care este cerut de SINCE iar DUPA SINCE in secundara se foloseste
Prezentul Perfect Simplu DACA actiunea din secundara INCA SE MAI INTAMPLA.

I ... this job ever since I ... here. (Eu iubesc aceasta slujba de cand sunt aici.)

a) have loved/ was

b) loved/ have been

c) have loved/ have been (iubesc slujba de cand sunt aici si inca mai lucrez aici)

d) loved/ was

03.08.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 6

03. The Tenses: Present Perfect Simple vs. Past Simple www.gapol.ro

Ever since they ..., they ... together. (De cand s-au casatorit, ei locuiesc impreuna.)

a) married/ lived

b) have married/ have lived

c) married/ have lived (s-au casatorit odata in trecut, dar locuiesc impreuna de atunci)

d) have married/ lived

In subordonata temporala se poate folosi Prezentul Perfect Simplu DACA actiunea din temporala este anterioara celei din
principala:

!!!!! Main Clause - Time Clause

I will visit you when I have time. (simultaneity) (Te voi vizita cand voi avea timp. -> actiunile sunt simultane)

I will visit you once I have finished my work here. (anteriority – first finish work then visit) (Te voi vizita odata ce mi-am terminat
munca aici. -> intai termin munca si pe urma te voi vizita, este actiune anterioara fata de principala)

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE OVERVIEW

1. TIME NOT GIVEN – PAST ACTION => PRESENT EFFECT

2. ADVERBS: just/ only just/ already/ always/ never/ ever/ often/ rarely/ seldom/ before/ lately = of late/ recently/ so far/
yet (neg. & interrogative)/ for/ since/ ever since/ in my life/ it’s the first time/ it’s the last time/ it’s the only time/ how
long/ long/ now = already)

PAST SIMPLE OVERVIEW

1. TIME GIVEN – PAST ACTION - NO CONNECTION WITH THE PRESENT

2. ADVERBS: 5 years AGO/ LAST night, week .../ just now/ once/ once upon a time/ in the past/ in December/ on 25th
May/ on Christmas Day/ in 1996/ yesterday/ the day before yesterday/ when/ at 3 o’clock/ that day/ etc.
3. Location given: in London
4. Repeated actions in the past
5. Used when talking about dead people
6. USED TO = WOULD (past habits and routines), BUT NO WOULD with past STATES

03.08.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 7