| Former-Teacher | Date: Thursday, 07.02.2013, 09:14 | Message # 1 |
 Dean
Group: Admins
Messages: 504
Status: Offline
| Dear Netters!
One of the posts on the site encouraged me to write a few explanations on how to use the Past Simple Tense Form and the Present Perfect Tense Form in order to express (name) a completed action.
It will take me some time to write everything I want on the this point. It's really a puzzling grammar point for many Russian leaners of English.
To begin with, take a minute to study the following utterance posted by one of the users :
'Yes, I've been there with my parents. We've visited lots of places there. For example. We've visited Deribasovskaya. This is one of the most popular streets in Odessa'
(http://groupa.ucoz.co.uk/photo....7-0-276)
When you follow the link, you'll find the red patterns corrected into Past Simple ones.
Why? The answer is simple.
- This utterance informs the reader of what the author did when she/he was there in THAT definite PAST situation. The word 'there' actually means 'when we were there'
- This utterance is not informing the reader of current experience or a really new event.
- This utterance gives narrative details about the past events. The details tell us what the author did when she/he was there. It actually means that the author is no longer there, thus breaking any link with the Present. So, oftentimes, if you mention the place of action and give narrative detail, you ought to avoid using the Present Perfect tense form.
- The Present Perfect patterns would have been correct if the author had informed (for the reader) of his/her life travel experience or impressions with no focus on past details related to the photo, e.g.:
"Yes, I have been to Odessa. Yes, I have walked the city streets. Yes, I have visited Deribasovskaya"
But if the talk continues and the author mentions details of what was done there, the author has to switch over to the Past Simple verbs because these actions are no longer present in the author's mind.
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