|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Ask for help > Past simple vs. Present Perfect Simple- I need a good explanation for French learners
Past simple vs. Present Perfect Simple- I need a good explanation for French learners
|
rakelica
|
Past simple vs. Present Perfect Simple- I need a good explanation for French learners
|
|
Good morning my dearest colleagues
Once again I ask for your kind help. I need a good explanation of the difference between past simple and present perfect simple for French learners of English. As you might know, French people don �t use a lot the past simple when speaking, they always use "le pass� compos�" which is the English equivalent of the Present Perfect Simple. So, for them is quite difficult to know when to use one or another.
Do you know of any website, worksheet; etc. which could help me teaching them a good way to establish the difference?
Thanks a lot and have a great day.
Kind Regards
R. |
19 Aug 2010
|
|
|
|
franknbea
|
|
Hi Rakelika,
If you enter "present perfect or past simple" in the search box above you will see a lot of comparison worksheets. Just scan through to see which ones would be suitable and download.
This website has anextensive explanation; of the differences
Good Luck |
19 Aug 2010
|
|
|
ELOJOLIE274
|
Hello!
"le pass� compos�" is not equivalent to the present perfect! they look the same because there �s an auxiliary (�tre or avoir) followed by a past participle but that �s all!
for example
"j �ai parl� � ta soeur hier" (pass� compos�) = I spoke to your sister yesterday
"je viens de le faire!" (pr�sent) = i �ve just done it!
"es-tu d�j� all� en Ecosse?" = have you ever been to Scotland?
as English teachers in France, we never say that one tense in English correspond to a specific tense in French because that depends on the context!
you have to differentiate tense and time: the time of the "pass� compos�" is the past, while the time of the present perfect is "a past event that has repercussions on the present" - in French, to talk about a past event that has repercussions on the present we can use the present!
do my compatriots agree??
take care!
|
19 Aug 2010
|
|
|
Zora
|
A good rule of thumb is getting them to take notice of the "time frame" the sentences are in.
Present Perfect tenses are used when the action is in the past but the "time" is present.
i.e. This week, I have eaten pizza.
Or - when time is "absent" or not important.
i.e. I�ve eaten pizza. (no time mentioned)
In the Past Simple a past "time frame" is almost always used.
i.e. I ate pizza last week.
Or when something is a "fact" that everyone knows. Here the "time" can be omitted since we all know it�s a past event.
i.e. Christopher Columbus discovered America. - fact, date not needed.
i.e. My parents met in Italy. - fact, they are now married but weren�t when they met.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Linda
|
19 Aug 2010
|
|
|
douglas
|
|
I usually say simple past is mostly used for a SPECIFIC time in the past and present perfect simple for a NON-Specific time in the past or when it has a direct effect on the present situation.
Then I go on to say there are a few other cases where present perfect simple is used (check the worksheets).
Douglas |
19 Aug 2010
|
|
|
Olindalima ( F )
|
Hi
Well, let me have a try; for Portuguese students Present Perfect is
terrible. I have had a lot of work, myself, studying and trying to make
it clear for them.
Simple past is used with actions that happened and finished in the past.
Present perfect is used with actions that started in the past and aren �t finished, yet.
Imagine these two sentences, both with no expression of time.
I broke my leg
and
I �ve broken my leg.
Both are correct, both exist, but, even witout a time expression, ( kind
of last week, or some months ago or anything else ), they have
different meanings.
I broke my leg - refers to an action, in the past and FINISHED . It means, I broke my leg, but now it is not broken, anymore .
I �ve broken my leg. - refers to an action, that happened in the past,
but is not finished, yet, so I still have a bad leg, broken, I �m not ok,
yet.
So, hope I made it clear, at least, a little more.
I lost my coat ( but I found it ) // I have lost my coat ( i have no idea where I left it)
If you provide some exercises with time expressions, ( last, ago, since, for ) it will help them understand better ( hope -LOL )
Then, there is also the case " just "
I have just seen my neighbour
this is also used to actions that started in the past and have finished
right now ( well, not exactlyright now, some minutes ago, may be ... )
It �s always difficult, because we are forced to think in a different way, it requires a lot of practice
hugs
linda
|
19 Aug 2010
|
|
|
joy2bill
|
|
I �ve been working on this today with my new pre-intermediate class (well more specifically nthe present perfect continuous) and I emphasised the link between the past and the present.
e.g. You look exhausted. (now)
Why? Because I have been running. (past action which has just finished a very short time ago)
So there is a link between my tired appearance and the cleaning I was doing.
Cheers Joy |
19 Aug 2010
|
|
|
swissprof
|
|
Yes it �s difficult for French learners but just give a few easy examples
J �ai lu un livre inter�ssant : I have read an interesting book INDEFINITE TIME
J �ai lu un livre int�ressant l �an pass� : I read an interesting book last year DEFINITE TIME
Most of the time I give a text and my students have to underline in the sentences the definite time in the past as a first step to see the difference between past simple and present perfect.
If you give me your email I �ll send your the grammar copies I have prepared for my classes
Hope to be helpful
Nicole |
19 Aug 2010
|
|
|
|
|
GIOVANNI
|
|
Check you PM. I have something I downloaded from the internet (I don �t remember the site). It is very useful. It is a dialogue between a teacher and student and it gives a full explaination. I would put it here but it is too big. If anyone is interested let me know and I will make a worksheet. |
19 Aug 2010
|
|
|
Mietz
|
@ Giovanni
That sounds interesting! A worksheet with a dialogue about that sounds good. :-) Please let me know, if/when you upload it.
Thanks for sharing! 
|
19 Aug 2010
|
|
1
2
Next >
|
