I finished vs I've finished

[Alexey86]

A teacher gives the students ten exercises and tells them they have half an hour to complete them. After 20 minutes, one of the students raises her hand and says: "I finished."

Is "I finished" correct, or should I use "I've finished"?

 

[emsr2d2]

It should be "I've finished". The past simple would require some kind of time marker, such as "I finished five minutes ago. Can I leave the room?"

 

[Alexey86]

When people finish tasks and reach their goals they often say, "We did it!" without mentioning the time.

 

[GoesStation]

When people finish tasks and reach their goals they often say, "We did it!" without mentioning the time.

Not in this context.

An American pupil would probably say "I'm done!"

 

[Alexey86]

Not in this context.

What makes the difference in terms of tense use?

 

[GoesStation]

When people finish tasks and reach their goals they often say, "We did it!" without mentioning the time.

Not in this context.

What makes the difference in terms of tense use?

The tense usage is fine. It's just not idiomatic to say "We did it!" — unless the completed task was exceptionally difficult with a relatively low chance of success.

 

[Alexey86]

The tense usage is fine. It's just not idiomatic to say "We did it!" — unless the completed task was exceptionally difficult with a relatively low chance of success.

Let's switch our roles for a second: you are the learner and I'm the teacher. Would you find exceptionally difficult and relatively low chances clear enough? If I personally find the task quite difficult and the chances average, should I say "I've done it" after its completion?

 

[GoesStation]

Let's switch our roles for a second: you are the learner and I'm the teacher. Would you find exceptionally difficult and relatively low chances clear enough? If I personally find the task quite difficult and the chances average, should I say "I've done it" after its completion?

The expression only works for me with the past simple: I did it!

 

[Alexey86]

Yes.

I think it's partly for this reason that the present perfect vs past simple distinction is a hard nut to crack for many learners.

The expression only works for me with the past simple: I did it!

Which means that the degree of difficulty and the chances of success are not the key factors.

 

[GoesStation]

The expression only works for me with the past simple: I did it!

Which means that the degree of difficulty and the chances of success are not the key factors.

No it doesn't. Use the expression "I/we/you did it!" when you want to emphasize that the task was challenging. "I've done it" means simple I completed the task, in American English at least.

 

[jutfrank]

I think we may confusing two different threads here.

One is the context of use of the exclamatory phrases I did it! and We did it! (After all, you could similarly exclaim I've done it! and We've done it!)

The other is the difference effected from using present/past tense to do it. I want to say that it's a bit more likely that a speaker would use the past tense because it places a focus on the fact that the 'problem' or whatever was conceived of as the 'exceptionally difficult task' is now just that—a thing of the past.

There may also be some difference in American usage that's complicating things here too.

 

[Alexey86]

(After all, you could similarly exclaim I've done it! and We've done it!)

Similarly? But GS says only the past simple works when the task is challenging.

it places a focus on the fact that the 'problem'... is now just that—a thing of the past.

Use the expression "I/we/you did it!" when you want to emphasize that the task was challenging.

These are two quite different reasons for choosing the past simple.

"I've done it" means simple I completed the task, in American English at least.

Why did you use the verb in the past simple (completed) to explain the meaning of the present perfect (have done)? If I've done it means I completed the task, is it correct for the student in my example to say I finished or I completed the task meaning I've done the task?

 

[GoesStation]

GS says only the past simple works when the task is challenging.

... in American English. The British variety prefers the present perfect in many situations where Americans would only use the past simple. This is apparently one such case.

 

[Alexey86]

GS, would you please answer my last question for you in #13?

 

[GoesStation]

If I've done it means I completed the task, is it correct for the student in my example to say I finished or I completed the task meaning I've done the task?

GS, would you please answer my last question for you in #13?

The first is grammatical and natural. The second is far too formal to emerge from the lips of a student but it's grammatical.

 

[Alexey86]

The first is grammatical and natural.

It's natural in AmE, right? In BrE I've finished would be natural.

 

[Tdol]

... in American English. The British variety prefers the present perfect in many situations where Americans would only use the past simple. This is apparently one such case.

I'd use the present perfect, but don't regard the past as wrong.