2. Use of Past Simple and Present Perfect tenses

2. Use of Past Simple and Present Perfect tenses

In American English these two tenses are often interchangeable in conditions where only the present perfect can be used in British English. For instance, when an action in the past has a result now (as in the first example below), the present perfect is normally employed. Other typical cases are with words like just, already, and yet, and with ever and never when referring to a period of time that continues until now. Click here to see the full text.

	AE	BE
	I've lost my keys. Have you seen them?	I've lost my keys. Have you seen them?
or	I lost my keys. Did you see them?
	John isn't here. He's gone to the bank.	John isn't here. He's gone to the bank.
or	John isn't here. He went to the bank.
	I'm not hungry. I've just had breakfast.	I'm not hungry. I've just had breakfast.
or	I'm not hungry. l just had breakfast.
	You can't speak to him. He's already left.	You can't speak to him. He's already left.
or	You can't speak to him. He already left.
	Have you finished that letter yet?	Have you finished that letter yet?
or	Did you finish that letter yet?
	Have you ever read Macbeth?.	Have you ever read Macbeth?
or	Did you ever read Macbetffl.
	I've never seen this man before in my life.	I've never seen this man before in my life.
or	I never saw this man before in my life.