past simple/present perfect

what is the difference between the past simple and present perfect?
Explain the differences between the following sentences:
+ He studied English for 3 years in Australia
+ He has studied English for 3 years in Australia.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by learner

what is the difference between the past simple and present perfect?
Explain the differences between the following sentences:
+ He studied English for 3 years in Australia
+ He has studied English for 3 years in Australia.

Please?

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[Anatoly]

Originally Posted by learner

what is the difference between the past simple and present perfect?
Explain the differences between the following sentences"
+ He studied English for 3 years in Australia
+ He has studied English for 3 years in Australia.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/le...arnitv92.shtml
:wink:

[RonBee]

Comments.

He studied English for 3 years in Australia

While he was in Australia he studied English for three years. (He is not in Australia now.)

He has studied English for 3 years in Australia.

For the past three years, he has been studying English while he has been living in Australia. (He is in Australia now.)

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[Red5]

Looks like more homework to me.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by Red5

Looks like more homework to me.

Maybe so, but the learners might benefit from the answer to that question.

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[RonBee]

Simple past: -ed ending: "I finished the project"
Present perfect: have + -ed ending "I have finished the project".

The perfect emphasizes that the action is completed; the present perfect is used when the state that results from its completion extends into the present (contrast with the past perfect "I had finished the project", where the reference point for the resultant state is in the past).

The simple past merely emphasizes that the event took place in the past.

(Thanks to Fruz at Dictionary.com)
http://forums.delphiforums.com/dicti...es?msg=14104.1

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[RonBee]

More. :) From: http://forums.delphiforums.com/dicti...es?msg=14104.7

Also, on perhaps the most important use of the present perfect-- its reference to a recently completed action that has bearing on the present-- here's the linguist John McWhorter (from "The Power of Babel"):

"In English we distinguish 'I found the money' from 'I have found the money'; the former implies that the event is past and done, whereas the latter implies that the effects of the finding extend into the present, that the finding of the money will serve as the basis for further developments."
Also, go to: http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzo...ar/ppvpast.htm

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