Do We Use Present Perfect When Something Isn't Relevant to the Present?

When determining whether to use the present perfect tense, it's important to understand its function: to show that an action has taken place at an unknown time in the past and has some connection to the present. However, if an event doesn't have any relevance or effect on the present, the simple past tense might be more appropriate.

Understanding the Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is often used to talk about experiences, changes that have happened, or a situation that is still true now. For instance, you can say, "I have visited Paris three times," implying that you might visit again or that your experience is relevant now, or "I visited Paris three times," implying that you are not planning to visit again or that your experience is not relevant now.

When to Avoid Present Perfect

If you don't know when an event happened and it doesn't have any relevance to the present, then you should avoid using the present perfect. In such cases, the simple past tense is the better choice. For example:

I have visited Paris three times.

I visited Paris three times.

The first sentence uses the present perfect to imply that you might visit Paris again, while the second sentence uses the simple past to imply that you are not planning to visit again.

Using Present Perfect with Indefinite Adverbs

There are some adverbs that can be used with the present perfect to indicate that the time of the action is not important or not specified. These include "ever," "never," "already," "yet," "recently," and "so far." Examples include:

"Have you ever been to Japan?" (present perfect with ever) "I have never eaten sushi." (present perfect with never) "She has already finished her homework." (present perfect with already) "Have they arrived yet?" (present perfect with yet) "He has recently started a new job." (present perfect with recently) "They have sold 10 tickets so far." (present perfect with so far)

Using these adverbs with the present perfect can help you indicate that the time of the action is uncertain or that the event is ongoing.

Exception: Distant Past Events

There is an exception to the rule of avoiding the present perfect when the event's time is unknown but irrelevant to the present. If the event happened in the distant past and is not associated with any present-day relevance or effect, it might be more natural to use the simple past tense instead. For example:

There was an earthquake in Yucatán.

There has been an earthquake in Yucatán.

In the first sentence, the simple past tense is used to refer to a specific event that happened long ago, while the second sentence with the present perfect tense might imply that the earthquake has some ongoing or present-day impact. If the earthquake's impact on the present is negligible, the simple past might be the better choice.

However, if you want to emphasize the present-day relevance or impact of a distant past event, the present perfect can still be appropriate.

Conclusion

In summary, whether to use the present perfect or the simple past depends on the relevance of the event to the present. If an event has little to no relevance or effect on the present, the simple past is typically the best choice. The present perfect, on the other hand, is used to indicate that an event has some connection to the present, whether it happened a long time ago or at an unknown time. Understanding the context and the impact of the event on the present can guide you in choosing the correct tense.