 Explanation of Simple Past Tense

 Simple Past tense is a form of tense that

describes an event that occurs in one
specific time in the past. The verb used in
this tense must be a second verb (verb
2). Similar to simple present tense, this
form is one of the most basic tense and is
often used at the time of writing or
conversation in English.
 Simple Past Tense Formula
 This tense consists of a combination of
simple aspects (at one specific time) and
past time frames (past).

 Form of Simple Past Example Tense

Sentences
 Positive
 (+) · Subject + verb 2 + object

 · Subject + to be (was / were) + adjective /

adverb

 · We attended the festival last week

 · She was absent yesterday
 Negative
 (-) · Subject + did not + infinitive verb + object
 · Subject + was / were + not + adjective /
adverb

 We did not attend the festival last week

 · She was not absent yesterday

 Interrogative
 (?) · Did + subject + infinitive verb + object?
 · Was / were + subject + adjective / adverb?

 · Did they attend the festival last week?

 · Was she absent yesterday?
 Adverb of time
 In simple past tense sentences, it is usually mentioned
also a description of the time when an event
occurred, as follows:

 a) One year or month that has passed · In 1945,

Indonesia successfully got its independence from
Japan
 · On February 2015, my parents moved to the United
States

 b) The time phrase preceded by last, such as:

 last week, last month, last year, last holiday

 · I graduated last month

 · Last night, I had a date with my boyfriend

 · Last holiday, I went to Bali

 Phrases of time followed by ago, such as:
 three months ago, a few days ago, one year ago

 · My passport expired one year ago

 · The legendary singer Prince edited a few days ago

 d) Other time information stating past time, such as:

 yesterday, the day before yesterday, this morning

 · She did not come to the office yesterday

 · I had my breakfast this morning

 · I broke my boyfriend the day before yesterday

 Explanation of Present Perfect Tense

 The present perfect tense is a tense that describes an event

that happened before one specific time in the past but still
continues today. This tense consists of a combination of
aspects of perfect (before one specific time in the past) and
the present time frame (present).

 In addition, this tense can also describe an event that began

and ended in the past but the effect is still felt today. In short,
this tense is used as a link between the past and the present.

 Present Perfect Tense Formula

 The present perfect tense is formed with the auxiliary verb

have or has and past participle (verb 3). Have paired with
subject I, You, We, and They while Has was used for subjects
He, She, and It.
 Forms of Present Perfect Formulas Example Tense Sentences

 Positive
 (+) · I / You / We / They + have + verb 3
 · He / She / It + has + verb 3

 · They have lived in Jakarta for a long time

 · He has learned English for one year

 Negative
 (-) · I / You / We / They + have + not + verb 3
 · He / She / It + has + not + verb 3

 · They have not lived in Jakarta for a long time

 · He has not learned English for one year

 Interrogative
 (?) · Have + I / You / We / They + verb 3?
 · Has + He / She / It + verb 3?

 · Have they lived in Jakarta for a long time?

 · Has he learned English for one year?
 Adverb of time
 In the present perfect tense sentence, the time information often
used is for and since. The explanation is as follows:

 For and Since

 · Used to indicate how long the time period lasts.
 Example of sentences:
 I have lived in New York for five years.
 That is, five years is how long subject I has lived in New York.

 · For can be omitted in a present perfect tense sentence because

this time statement is still understandable even though it is not
accompanied by a sentence.

 Example:
 (+) He has worked here (for) several years.
 (-) He has not worked here (for) several years.
 (?) (For) how long has he worked here?
 There are several verbs that cannot be
used together with the word for, such as:

 start arrive meet end leave stop

 She has arrived in New York for two years.

 This sentence is incorrect because the word

arrive describes an event that occurs once
and does not continue for a certain period
of time. The correct sentence should be a
simple past as follows:

 She arrived in New York three years ago.