AMERICAN USAGE OF SIMPLE PAST AND PRESENT PERFECT

[LE AVOCADO]

Hi everybody,

I am an English learner.

I realize that American prefer using simple past over present perfect in daily conversations

For example, in this content:

I just lost my key, so i don't have my key now, and I cannot get in my house

An American will say:

(1). I lost my key. I cant not get in my house.

(2). I have lost my key. I can not get in my house


Is that (1) and (2) used interchangeable in daily conversations in US with no difference in meaning in that case?

If so, I would like to ask if it is correct to use simple past for a post on newspaper:

The scientist created/ have created COVID-19 vaccine.

For actions with its results are still true or important on the present. I see that American use Simple past and Present perfect interchangeably. This make me confused in choosing which tense to use in case like this.


Many thanks in advance for your help.

 

[emsr2d2]

Welcome to the forum. :hi:

I don't have time to fully answer your question at the moment but I want to make two points:

1. You need "cannot", not "can not" in your example sentences.
2. There is no need to capitalise the names of tenses.

 

[Yankee]

Hi everybody,

I am an English learner.

I realize that American prefer using simple past over present perfect in daily conversations

For example, in this content:

I just lost my key, so i don't have my key now, and I cannot get in my house

An American will say:

(1). I lost my key. I cant not (Never) get in my house. "can't".

(2). I have lost ( or "I've lost"[e.g. at the moment]) or I lost [yesterday] my key. I can not get in my house. Possible differences in use.

Is that (1) and (2) used interchangeable in daily conversations in US with no difference in meaning in that case? (see above)

If so, I would like to ask if it is correct to use simple past for a post on newspaper:

The scientist(s) created/ have created COVID-19 vaccine. Could depend on context "........created COVID-19 vaccine in 2020". ".....have created COVID-19 vaccine which has been very effective".

For actions with its results are still true or important on the present. I see that American use Simple past and Present perfect interchangeably. This make me confused in choosing which tense to use in case like this.


Many thanks in advance for your help.

Y.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hi everybody,

I am an English learner.

I realize that Americans prefer using simple past over present perfect in daily conversations.

I've never noticed that. It might be true.

For example, in this situation, where I just lost my key, so I don't have my key now, and I cannot get in my house, an American will say:

(1). I lost my key. I can't get in my house.

(2). I've lost my key. I can't get in my house.

Americans might say either one. I think the British might, too.

If I'm just now discovering that the key is gone, I'd say "I've lost." If I've known for a long time that it was gone, I'd say "I lost."

Is that (1) and (2) used interchangeable in daily conversations in US with no difference in meaning in that case?

If so, I would like to ask if it is correct to use simple past for a post on newspaper:

The scientist created/has created a COVID-19 vaccine.

The correct choice depends on the context. It doesn't matter whether it's British or American English.

For actions in which the results are still true or important in the present, I see that American use simple past and present perfect interchangeably. This make me confused in choosing which tense to use in cases like these.

Many thanks [STRIKE]in advance[/STRIKE] for your help.

Welcome, Avocado!

Native English speakers around the world make grammar mistakes — Americans, Brits, Australians, South Africans, Jamaicans, Irish, Scots, everyone. Just do your best to get it right, and don't worry about other people's mistakes.

 

[Tdol]

If it is a headline in a newspaper, the present perfect is less likely because it takes up more space on the page.

 

[LE AVOCADO]

Dear teachers and native speakers.

I am confused the way American speaker using "always, never,ever" for actions until now.

*Quote from my grammar book:
In an informal style, a simple past tense is sometimes possible with always, ever
and never when they refer to ‘time up to now’.
I always knew I could trust you. ( or I've always known . . .)
Did you ever see anything like that before? ( or Have you ever seen . . . ?)
*****************

I always knew I could trust you. ( or I've always known . . .)
==> This means I still trust you now. Right?


***
I am a girl, I never smoke. If I want to say that I did't smoke in the past and now I don't smoke too.
(1) I never smoked.
(2) I have never smoked.
So in American, (1) and (2) both are correct to show my meaning. Right?


***
In fact, a fish can't fly. I would say:
1. I never saw a fish flying.
2. I have never seen a fish flying.

(1) and (2) have the same meaning to refer to the action of not seeing until now. Right?
In America I can use either. Right?

 

[SoothingDave]

I would tend to use the "have lost" construction for recent things.

In the same way, "scientists have discovered" is an announcement of something new.

 

[LE AVOCADO]

I would tend to use the "have lost" construction for recent things.

In the same way, "scientists have discovered" is an announcement of something new.

Hi Dave,
Thanks for your answer

Could you please help me answer my question on post #6 about the use of “ always , never, ever”?

 

[Tdol]

In an informal style, a simple past tense is sometimes possible with always, ever
and never when they refer to ‘time up to now’.
I always knew I could trust you. ( or I've always known . . .)

I would use the past tense when the person did something I wanted them to, so referring to a single incident.