🎯

Learning Objectives

2 minutes reading
✓
Distinguish when to use Present Perfect vs Past Simple in professional contexts
✓
Identify time markers that signal each tense
✓
Use both tenses correctly in CVs, interviews, and progress reports
✓
Switch naturally between tenses when discussing work history
💡
Key for this lesson

Present Perfect = no specific time, still relevant now. Past Simple = specific time in the past, finished action. Ask: "When exactly?" If you can answer, use Past Simple.

📚

Grammar Explanation

4 minutes reading
Present Perfect

No Specific Time / Still Relevant

Subject + have/has + past participle

Use for: General experience, unfinished time periods, recent news with current relevance

ever never this week today recently so far
Past Simple

Specific Time / Finished Period

Subject + past form (V2)

Use for: Completed actions at a specific time, finished time periods, sequential events

yesterday last week in 2019 ago when then
🔑
The Interview Pattern

In interviews: Start general with Present Perfect ("I've managed several teams"), then give specific details with Past Simple ("In my last role, I managed a team of 12 from 2020 to 2023").

🎯

Context & Professional Usage

5 minutes reading

Present Perfect Contexts

📝 CV Summary: "I've led cross-functional teams."
🎤 Interview Opening: "I've worked in tech for 10 years."
📊 Progress Report: "We've completed three milestones this quarter."
📧 Status Update: "I've reviewed the proposal."

Past Simple Contexts

📋 CV Detail: "I managed the Paris office from 2018-2021."
💼 Interview Example: "Last year, I increased sales by 30%."
📅 Meeting Notes: "We discussed the budget yesterday."
🗓️ Timeline: "The project launched in March."
💡

Business English Examples

6 minutes reading
✓

Correct Professional Usage

✓
"I've visited our Tokyo office several times." → "I went there in 2022."

General experience → specific detail

✓
"We've increased productivity this year." (still 2024)

Unfinished time period

✓
"We increased productivity last year." (2023 is finished)

Finished time period

✓
"Have you worked with SAP before?" → "Yes, I used it at my previous company."

General question → specific answer

✗

Common Business Mistakes

✗
"I have joined the company in 2019."

Use: "I joined the company in 2019." (specific year = Past Simple)

✗
"I worked on many international projects." (general experience)

Use: "I've worked on many international projects." (no specific time)

✗
"Did you ever lead a team?"

Use: "Have you ever led a team?" (ever = Present Perfect)

🎧

Professional Listening Exercise

6 minutes

Listen to Elena, an HR manager, interviewing a candidate about their experience:

🎵 Audio: Job Interview
Ready
0:00 / 0:00
🔊
Speed:

Elena (HR Manager): So, James, tell me about your project management experience.

James: Well, I've worked in project management for about eight years now. I've managed teams of various sizes, from small groups of three to larger teams of twenty people.

Elena: That's impressive. Have you ever worked with international teams?

James: Yes, I have. In my last role at GlobalTech, I led a cross-border project between our offices in London, Singapore, and New York. That was from 2021 to 2023. We launched a new CRM system that served over 5,000 users.

Elena: How did that project go?

James: It went very well. We completed it three months ahead of schedule. The client was so happy that they extended our contract in early 2023.

Elena: Have you used Agile methodologies?

James: Absolutely. I've used both Scrum and Kanban extensively. At GlobalTech, we implemented Scrum for the first time in 2020. It transformed how we worked. Since then, I've trained over fifty colleagues in Agile practices.

Elena: And what made you leave GlobalTech?

James: I left last September because I wanted new challenges. I've really enjoyed my time there, but after five years, I felt ready for the next step in my career.

Question 1: How long has James worked in project management?

💡 Hint: Listen for "I've worked in project management for..."

Question 2: When did James leave GlobalTech?

💡 Hint: Listen to the last part of the interview for "I left..."

Question 3: Complete: "We _______ Scrum for the first time in 2020." (Past Simple)

💡 Hint: The verb is "implement" in Past Simple - specific year mentioned.
🧠

Quick Comprehension Quiz

4 minutes

Choose Present Perfect or Past Simple for each situation:

1

CV: "I _____ five successful product launches." (general achievement)

A have led
B led
C was leading
2

Interview: "In my previous role, I _____ the marketing budget by 40%."

A have reduced
B reduced
C was reducing
3

Progress report: "This month, we _____ three new clients." (month not finished)

A have signed
B signed
C are signing
4

Meeting: "The CEO _____ her concerns in yesterday's meeting."

A has expressed
B expressed
C was expressing
✏️

Professional Practice Exercises

7 minutes

Exercise A: Choose the correct tense

1.

I _______ (work) for three different startups in my career. (general experience)

💡 Hint: General experience without specific time = Present Perfect
2.

She _______ (join) the company in March 2022. (specific date)

💡 Hint: Specific date = Past Simple
3.

We _______ (launch) two new products this year. (year not finished)

💡 Hint: Unfinished time period (this year) = Present Perfect
4.

The team _______ (complete) the project last Friday. (specific day)

💡 Hint: "Last Friday" = specific finished time = Past Simple

Exercise B: Complete the Interview Dialogue

1.

Interviewer: "_______ you ever _______ (manage) a remote team?"

💡 Hint: Questions with "ever" use Present Perfect: Have + subject + ever + past participle
2.

Candidate: "Yes, I _______. I _______ (lead) a remote team of 8 at my previous company."

💡 Hint: Short answer "Yes, I have" + Past Simple for the specific example at previous company
3.

Interviewer: "When _______ you _______ (start) that role?"

💡 Hint: Questions with "When" ask for specific time = Past Simple
🗣️

Speaking Preparation

4 minutes
📚
Preparation for Class

Practice switching between Present Perfect and Past Simple naturally.

💼 Task 1: Interview Practice (Controlled - 1 min)

Answer these interview questions using the correct tenses:

  • "Have you ever worked in [your industry]?" → Yes, I've... / I [past simple]...
  • "What experience have you had with [skill]?"
  • "Tell me about a project you completed last year."
📊 Task 2: Career Timeline (Guided - 2 min)

Describe your career using this pattern:

  • Start general: "I've worked in [field] for [X] years."
  • Add specifics: "I started at [company] in [year]. I worked there for [duration]."
  • Connect to now: "Since then, I've [achievement]."
🔄 Task 3: Discussion (Free - 1 min)

Discuss with your teacher:

  • What's the most important thing you've learned in your career?
  • When did you make a decision that changed your career path?
✨
Summary: Present Perfect vs Past Simple

Present Perfect: No specific time, still relevant (I've managed...)
Past Simple: Specific time, finished period (I managed... in 2020)
Interview pattern: General (PP) → Specific details (PS)

Next lesson →