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ESL forum > Ask for help > Preterit or present perfect??    

Preterit or present perfect??



ludique22
France

Preterit or present perfect??
 
Just a question,

What would you rather say?

1.During my studies , I have worked  on different projects
2.During my studies, I worked on different projects


3. I have worked as foreman assistant during my last training period.
4. I worked as foreman assistant during my last training period.

I have the feeling sentences 2 and 4 are correct, am I right?
Thanks for your help
Sylvie



27 Jan 2010      





pollyanna_pl
Greece

I would definitely go for 2 and 4, because the periods you are referring to have ended, so the whole sentence refers to past time, ie not perfect.

27 Jan 2010     



ludique22
France

Thanks Pollyanna for your quick answer, it confirms what I thought.

27 Jan 2010     



pollyanna_pl
Greece

I would definitely go for 2 and 4, because the periods you are referring to have ended, so the whole sentence refers to past time, ie not perfect.

27 Jan 2010     



pollyanna_pl
Greece

I meant : you �re welcome! Big smile

27 Jan 2010     



zoemorosini
United States

Hi Ludique22:

I just thought to add some insight.  In my opinion, 

1."During my studies, I have worked on different projects" means your studies began in the past and are still continuing now, in present time.
2."During my studies, I worked on different projects" means your studies began AND ENDED in the past, so there �s no connection to present time.

(Therefore, both #1 and #2 are grammatically correct.  You have to choose based on the information you are trying to convey.)

3. "I have worked as foreman assistant during my last training period"  doesn �t make sense because your last training period ended in the past, so present perfect "have worked" doesn �t fit.  (It would make more sense to say instead:  I have worked as foreman assistant recently.)

4. "I worked as foreman assistant during my last training period." makes sense because your last training period was in the past and the verb "worked" is in the past tense.  The grammar is parallel, so it is correct.

Hope this helps!

27 Jan 2010