Which tense do you use with these expressions?

[sondra]

Hello,

In British English after the expressions recently, lately, the first time... the last time.... it was the first time.... it was the last time.... and last do you use past simple or present perfect?

Thanks

 

[Rover_KE]

Perhaps you'd like to compose some complete sentences of your own first for us to comment on.

Rover

 

[sondra]

Yes, of course.

I haven't seen him lately/recently. (I used present perfect, as I thought that past simple would be wrong)
It's the last time I ate caviar/I have eaten.
It's the first time I saw her/I have seen her.
It was the first time I ate mushrooms.(Only past simple)
It was the last time I ate mushrooms.(Only my simple)
The first time I met her she was dressed in red.(It refers to a situation in past so in this sentence and in the sentence below I used past simple.
The last time I met her she was dressed in red.

I tried to write sentences with 'last' and in all of them I used past simple.

When did you see him last?
I last spoke to her three days ago.
I couldn't use it with present perfect.

 

[bhaisahab]

Yes, of course.

I haven't seen him lately/recently. Correct.
It's the last time I ate caviar/I have eaten. This doesn't work with either.
It's the first time I have seen her.
It was the first time I ate mushrooms."had eaten"
It was the last time I ate mushrooms. Correct.
The first time I met her she was dressed in red. Correct.
The last time I met her she was dressed in red. Correct.

I tried to write sentences with 'last' and in all of them I used past simple.

When did you see him last?
I last spoke to her three days ago.

The last two are both correct.