[Grammar] Present Perfect/Past simple

[Will17]

Hello!

Could we use the Present Perfect and the Past Simple interchangeably, in this sentence? :

"Most people have left/left the village".

Thank you

W

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello!

Could we use the Present Perfect and the Past Simple interchangeably, in this sentence? :

"Most people have left/left the village".

Thank you

W

No. Given that I have said no, what do you think the difference might be?

 

[Will17]

No.

I would go with the Present Perfet, am I right?

 

[bhaisahab]

I would go with the Present Perfect, am I right?

They are both correct but they have different meanings.

 

[Will17]

They are both correct but they have different meanings.

Present Perfect: More people are going to leave the village, the 'exodus' isn't finished.

Past simple: There are only a few people left in the village. They don't intend to leave.We can consider the "exodus" is finished.

:shock: Am I right?

 

[bhaisahab]

Present Perfect: More people are going to leave the village, the 'exodus' isn't finished.

Past simple: There are only a few people left in the village. They don't intend to leave.We can consider the "exodus" is finished.

:shock: Am I right?

"Most people left the village after the flood" refers to a past event. "Most people have left the village since the flood" means that the situation is ongoing maybe more will leave, maybe not.

 

[Will17]

"Most people left the village after the flood" refers to a past event. "Most people have left the village since the flood" means that the situation is ongoing maybe more will leave, maybe not.

Thank you. And if we don't give any time reference, is the sentence "most people left the village" correct?

 

[bhaisahab]

Thank you. And if we don't give any time reference, is the sentence "most people left the village" correct?

It sounds a bit odd without putting it into some kind of context, for example, "Most people left the village yesterday/after the flood/etc."

 

[Will17]

Understood.

However, if we say "most people have left the village", without giving more details, it's correct, isn't it?

 

[e2e4]

/A learner/

Understood.

However, if we say "most people have left the village", without giving more details, it's correct, isn't it?

Should be.

When I say

Most people have left the village.

I tell the fact that has happened to the village regarding the citizens.

It means that some of them haven't left the place.

It means nothing else to me.
It doesn't mean a few more will or will not left the village as well.

This is how I see the PP.

If I say

Most people have been leaving this village.

means that some of them could leave the village as well in the close future. The process could go on. But it is not for sure. It's an expectation based on the people's recent activities.

 

[bhaisahab]

Understood.

However, if we say "most people have left the village", without giving more details, it's correct, isn't it?

Yes, it is.