Mister Guru

etelah kita mempelajari bagaimana penggunaan dan perbedaan antara Simple Past dengan Past Perfect tense pada halaman Contrasting Past Tenses: The Simple Past VS The Past Perfect Tense, sekarang mari kita berlatih bagaimana penggunaan Past Perfect tense dalam dialog untuk membicarakan kegiatan atau kejadian lampau. Selengkapnya, untuk membaca lebih banyak lagi tentang materi Past Perfect dan penggunaannya, silahkan kunjungi halaman-halaman berikut ini:

1. Membandingkan perbedaan Past Perfect dengan Simple Past tense: Contrasting Past Tenses: The Simple Past VS The Past Perfect Tense.
2. Latihan soal membedakan penggunaan Simple Past VS the Past Perfect tense: Exercise: Past Perfect Tense VS Simple Past Tense
3. Latihan soal Past Perfect tense: Exercise: How to Use Past Perfect Tense

Selanjutnya, mari kita berlatih menggunakan bentuk Past Perfect Tense dalam dialog atau percakapan sehari-hari. Selamat berlatih, and good luck with your English.

Past Perfect Tense dalam Dialog

ALDO:	"I'm sorry you couldn't come to the play with me last night, Nina."
NINA:	"I'm sorry too, Aldo, but I'd already made other arrangements before you invited me."
ALDO:	"I know. But if you'd been able to come, you would have enjoyed it very much."
NINA:	"Was it a good play?"
ALDO:	"Yes, it was a good play, but there's another reason why you would have enjoyed yourself."
NINA:	"Why would I have enjoyed myself, then?"
ALDO:	"Because it was so funny?"
NINA:	"But it wasn't a comedy, was it? I thought that they'd decided to do a drama."
ALDO:	"That's right! They'd decided to do a serious drama, and they did a drama! But they hadn't prepared the play properly."
NINA:	"And so it became funny?"
ALDO:	"Yes! I laughed till I cried. Until I saw that play last night, I hadn't realized that a serious drama could be so amusing."
NINA:	"Oh, please tell me all about it, Aldo."
NINA:	"What happened?"
ALDO:	"At the beginning of the play, there was nobody on the stage. Then, one of the actors entered, and sit on a chair."
NINA:	"Oh please, Aldo. Don't laugh! Tell me what happened."
ALDO:	"Well, he'd just sat down when someone knocked at the door. He turned around suddenly - and the chair broke!"
NINA:	"Oh dear! And by that time he hadn't spoken a word, I suppose."
ALDO:	"No. Everybody laughed. The actor who was knocking at the door hadn't heard the crash, so he knocked again. The actor who had broken the chair called out: "Come in!" The first actor hadn't got up from the floor when the second one came in and started to laugh too!"
NINA:	"And then what happened?"
ALDO:	"When they removed the broken chair, the play really began."
NINA:	"But you said that the actors hadn't learnt the play properly. Tell me about that!"
ALDO:	"A little later, at one of the most interesting moments in the play, one of the actors forgot what to say next. He couldn't remember what to say, and nobody helped him."
NINA:	Oh, poor man! What did he do?"
ALDO:	"After he'd stood there for a few moments, he started to speak again, but they weren't the right words. Because he hadn't said the right words, the other actors didn't know what to say next."
NINA:	"And I suppose everyone laughed again!"
ALDO:	"Yes, and when they'd started to laugh, they couldn't stop laughing during the rest of the play. The actors made a lot more mistakes, and people laughed more and more. It was a wonderful play!"
NINA:	"Well, Aldo, I'm really sorry I'd made those other arrangements!"

Bagaimanakah bentuk Past Perfect Tense?

Bacalah lagi dialog di atas dengan memperhatikan kalimat-kalimat yang dicetak miring.

• ... I'd (I had) already made ....
  
• ... you'd (you had) been able to come, ....
• ... They'd (They had) decided to do ....
• ... they hadn't prepared the play ....
• ... I hadn't realized ....
• ... they hadn't chosen the furniture ....
• ... he'd just sat down ....
• ... by that time, he hadn't spoken a word, ....
• ... The actor who was knocking at the door hadn't heard the crash, ....
• ... The actor who had broken the chair ....
• ... The first actor hadn't got up ....
• ... the actors hadn't learnt the play ....
• ... After he'd stood there ....
• ... he hadn't said the right words ....
• ... when they'd started to laugh ....

Perhatikan bahwa kata kerja yang digunakan adalah bentuk had + perfect infinitive (had verb 3). Bentuk kata kerja inilah yang disebut Past Perfect tense. Perhatikan kalimat-kalimat berikut:

1. Affirmative: "I had/I'd studied."
2. Negative: "I had not/hadn't studied."
3. Interrogative: "Had I studied?"
4. Negative interrogative: "Had I not/hadn't I studied?"

Bagaimana dan kapan bentuk Past Perfect Tense digunakan?

1. Past perfect sebagai bentuk lampau dari present perfect. Contoh:
   Present perfect: "Ann has just left. If you hurry you'll catch her".
   Past: "When I arrived Ann had just left".
   Present: "I have lost my eraser. I have to borrow one from my friend."
   Past: "I had lost my eraser and had to borrow one from my friend."
2. Past perfect dengan "since/for/always", digunakan untuk kegiatan/kejadian yang baru saja selesai atau masih berlanjut sampai pada saat itu. Contoh:
   I met Lisa at the restaurant a few months ago. She had worked there as a waiter for a year/since she moved here. (Past perfect continuous "She had been working ...." juga bisa digunakan di situasi tersebut)
   Lisa had worked as a cashier in a shop for two years. Then, she decided to find another job. (Bentuk past perfect continuous "had been working" tidak bisa digunakan pada kalimat ini karena kondisi yang dimaksud sudah tidak berlangsung lagi)
3. Past perfect sebagai bentuk lampau yang ekuivalen/setara dengan simple past, digunakan untuk membicarakan suatu kondisi/kejadian yang lebih lampau lagi. Contoh:
   The boy had to work hard at an early age. His father had died years before and since then he had lived alone with his mother. His father had left him a small farm and had taught him how to be a farmer.
   I was late. When I arrived, she was a bit upset as she had waited for half an hour. (Past perfect continuous "she had been waiting" bisa dipakai dalam kalimat ini karena kejadian yang dimaksud masih berlangsung)

Catatan:

Dalam penggunaan yang ke-3, yaitu dalam hal menceritakan kejadian yang lebih lampau, pemakaian Past perfect tense tidak diperlukan jika kita bercerita secara berurutan sesuai dengan kronologi waktu kejadian, tanpa harus melompat lagi ke waktu yang lebih lampau. Dalam hal ini, bentuk waktu yang harus digunakan adalah Simple past tense. Contoh:
His father taught him how to be a farmer. When he was sixteen, his father died and left him a small farm. Then, he lived alone with his mother.

Reference:

• Thomson & Martinet (1986). A Practical English Grammar (4th Ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Allen W. Stannard (1989). Living English Structure. Hong Kong: Longman.
• Radio Australia, English for You. Victoria: The Dominion Press.

A. Future Perfect Tense dalam Dialog

BETTY:	"Jim! ... Jim!"
JIM:	"Wait. I'm still busy working."
BETTY:	"Jim! Will you listen to me? I want to talk to you."
JIM:	"Oh! Do you want to talk to me?"
BETTY:	"Of course, I want to talk to you."
JIM:	"Well, what do you want to talk about? Do you really want to talk to me while I am working? I'll be able to come inside and talk to you when we have coffee. I'll have drunk my coffee by about eleven o'clock, and then I'll finish making the box. I'll have finished making it by about half past eleven, and then I'll paint it. By lunch time, I'll have made myself a new fishing box and I'll have painted it."
BETTY:	"Jim!"
JIM:	"What's the matter, Betty? Is the coffee ready now?"
BETTY:	"No, the coffee isn't ready now! That's what I want to talk to you about. You won't have drunk your coffee by eleven o'clock."
JIM:	"Why not? It's only half past ten now."
BETTY:	"You won't have drunk your coffee by eleven o'clock because I won't have made it."
JIM:	"Why won't you have made it?"
BETTY:	"I won't have made it because we don't have any coffee."
JIM:	"Oh! ... Why don't you say so?"
BETTY:	"I've tried to tell you several times, but you started hammering again, or sawing, and I had to shout at you."
JIM:	"I'm sorry, Betty."
BETTY:	"Now, are you listening?"
JIM:	"Yes, I'm listening."
BETTY:	"When I came outside, I wanted to ask you to go in the car to get some coffee."
JIM:	"But that will take time! If I don't keep on working now, I won't have painted the fishing box by lunchtime."
BETTY:	"Unless you leave off working now, you won't have any coffee. In fact, you won't have coffee again until Monday, because the shops will be shut until then."
JIM:	"I see! Hmmm. Oh well, I won't have painted my fishing box by lunchtime but that won't really matter. I don't mind going to get some coffee. I'll go now. Is everything ready except the coffee?"
BETTY:	"No, the cups aren't ready yet."
JIM:	Well, you'd better hurry! I won't be long. If you don't hurry, I'll have returned with the coffee, and you still won't be ready."
BETTY:	"All right, I'll hurry."
JIM:	"I won't be long."

B. Bagaimanakah bentuk Future Perfect Tense?

Bacalah lagi dialog di atas dengan memperhatikan kalimat-kalimat yang dicetak miring. Perhatikan bahwa kata kerja yang digunakan adalah bentuk will/shall + perfect infinitive (will/shall + have verb 3). Bentuk kata kerja inilah yang disebut Future Perfect tense.

C. Bagaimana penggunaan Future Perfect Tense?

1. Shall bisa digunakan jika subyek berupa orang pertama (I atau We), meskipun shall sudah jarang digunakan dalam bahasa Inggris modern .
2. Future perfect tense sangat sering digunakan bersama keterangan waktu yang diawali dengan kata by then, by that time, by the ....
3. Future perfect tense bisa digunakan untuk mengutarakan kejadian/keadaan yang pada suatu saat nanti akan menjadi kejadian/keadaan lampau, atau baru saja selesai dikerjakan.
   Agar lebih mudah memahami penjelasan tentang future perfect tense ini, mari kita perhatikan contoh situasi di bawah ini.
   It is March 7th today. The third-grade students are busy preparing for the final exam that they are taking in the end of this month. We'd better wait till April to hold the students' art show. The students will have had their exam by then, so they'll be able to enjoy themselves.

D. Soal Latihan Future Perfect Tense

A. Isilah bagian kosong dengan bentuk Future Perfect tense dari kalimat di dalam kurung.
Contoh: (Tina is washing the carpet now.) When we arrive home, Tina will have washed the carpet.

1. (Ms. Ida is making the beds now.) By ten o'clock, Ms. Ida ....
2. (The men are repairing the computer now.) When you come from lunch this afternoon, the men ....
3. (Margaret is writing her essay this week.) By next Tuesday, Margaret ....
4. (Mr. Adi is reading the book.) Mr. Adi ... by this time next week.
5. (I'm polishing my shoes now.) When breakfast is ready, I ....
6. (We're cutting this big tree down now.) By this evening, we ....
7. (Rio is planting some plants in the garden now.) Rio ... by half past two.
8. (She's sewing herself a dress today.) When her mother comes home, she ....
9. (They're moving into their new house.) By tomorrow, they ....
10. (Dwi and Sasha are doing their university courses.) They ... by the year after next.

B. Ubahlah kalimat-kalimat berikut menjadi kalimat tanya.
Contoh:
She will have completed the exercise by one o'clock.
Answer: WIll she have completed the exercise by one o'clock?
(How long) he'll have been in this office by next year.
Answer: How long will he have been in this office by next year?

1. You'll have finished that job by next Friday.
   ... by next Friday?
2. (What time) they will have cleaned this room.
   What time ...?
3. (When) she'll have cooked the dinner.
   When ...?
4. They will have explored the forest soon.
   ... soon?
5. (What) you'll have done by the time I return.
   What ... by the time I return?
6. The lawn service agent will have mown our lawn by this evening.
   ... by this evening?

C. Jawablah pertanyaan-pertanyaan berikut dengan menggunakan kalimat lengkap dalam bentuk Future Perfect tense.

1. Romy will save one hundred thousand rupiahs in April. He'll save fifty thousand rupiahs in May. Will he have saved two hundred thousand rupiahs by the end of May?
   Answer : No, he ... by the end of May.
2. It is 2019. Hana moved here in 2012. Will she have lived here for ten years by next year?
   Answer : No, she ... by next year.
3. It is 9 a.m. now. We will drive at the speed of 70 kilometer per hour. Surabaya is 100 kilometers away from here. Will we have arrived in Surabaya by ten o'clock?
   Answer : No, we ... by ten o'clock.

Untuk mengerjakan soal ini dalam versi CBT (computer-based test) dan melihat kunci jawaban serta mengetahui skor anda, klik tautan di bawah ini. Reference:

• Thomson & Martinet (1986). A Practical English Grammar (4th Ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Radio Australia, English for You. Victoria: The Dominion Press.

alah satu cara untuk menceritakan kebiasaan di masa lalu adalah dengan menggunakan struktur "used to + infinitive". "Used to" memiliki makna bahwa suatu pekerjaan atau kegiatan hanya terjadi di waktu lampau, dan sekarang sudah tidak terjadi lagi. Jika diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Indonesia, "used to" kira-kira sama maknanya dengan "dulu biasanya" atau "dulu terbiasa". Jadi, "used" dalam "used to" sama sekali tidak berarti "menggunakan" atau "memakai".

Kompetensi dalam menggunakan "used to" untuk menceritakan kebiasaan di waktu lampau adalah salah satu kompetensi yang diujikan dalam Ujian Nasional Bahasa Inggris, khususnya untuk SMK. Karena itu, penggunaan "used to" harus dapat dikuasai dengan baik oleh pelajar SMA/MA dan SMK/MAK. Lihat beberapa contoh di bawah ini untuk menjelaskan penggunaan "used to":

• She used to work in a shop. Now she works in a restaurant.
• When I was younger, I used to swim in the river with my friends. Now it is heavily polluted with industrial waste.
• He used to come here for breakfast almost every morning, but now he has moved to another city.
• When I was a child, TVRI used to be the only domestic TV channel. Today, there are many channels available to choose.
• She has got short hair now but it used to be very long.

Structure of "Used to" Sentences

(+)	I We You They He She It	used to	be do write work have study play
(-)	I We You They He She It	did not use to didn't use to	be do write work have study play
(?)	Did I Did we Did you Did they Did he Did she Did it	use to	be? do? write? work? have? study? play?

Catatan:
Penggunaan "used to ..." hanya untuk kebiasaan lampau. Kita tidak bisa menggunakan "use to ..." untuk menceritakan kebiasaan-kebiasaan di masa sekarang. Untuk mengungkapkan kebiasaan di masa sekarang (present habit), gunakanlah bentuk Simple Present tense.

A. Combine the two sentences using "but", and use "Used to" for the past habits.

Example:
Shanti worked in an accountant office. Now, she runs her own business.
Answer: Shanti used to work in an accountant office, but now she runs her own business.

1. Lisa lived in a boarding house. Now, she lives in an apartment.
2. The woman was my next-door neighbor. She has moved to another town.
3. She took the bus to work. Now, she prefers cycling.
4. We worked in the same office. Now, she has been transferred to another branch.
5. The restaurant opened only on weekdays. Now, it opens in weekends too.

B. Complete these sentences. Use "used to" or the present simple ("I play" / "she lives" etc.)

Example:
He used to play football. He stopped playing a few years ago.

1. "Do you do any sport?" ~ "Yes, I ... basketball."
2. "Have you got a car?" ~ "No, I ... one but I sold it."
3. "How do you go to work?" ~ "I usually ... to work by motorcycle."
4. Wati ... a waitress. Now she works as a receptionist.
5. When I worked in the foreign company, I ... English everyday. Now, I seldom speak English.
6. Lia likes playing music. She ... the piano almost everyday.
7. This room ... the language laboratory. Once a week, our students practice their speaking and listening skill here.
8. I ... three glasses of coffee everyday, but my doctor suggested I drink less coffee.
9. I'm an early riser. I always ... at 5 am every morning.
10. I ... a monthly magazine. I stopped the subscription last year.

Reference:
Murphy Raymond, Essential Grammar in Use, pg. 58-59, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom, 1998.

	KOMPETENSI DASAR
3.6	Menganalisis fungsi sosial, struktur teks, dan unsur kebahasaan teks interaksi transaksional lisan dan tulis yang melibatkan tindakan memberi dan meminta informasi terkait keadaan / tindakan / kegiatan / kejadian yang dilakukan/terjadi di waktu lampau yang merujuk waktu terjadinya dan kesudahannya, sesuai dengan konteks penggunaannya. (Perhatikan unsur kebahasaan simple past tense vs present perfect tense)
4.6	Menyusun teks interaksi transaksional, lisan dan tulis, pendek dan sederhana, yang melibatkan tindakan unsur dan meminta informasi terkait keadaan/tindakan/kegiatan/kejadian yang dilakukan/terjadi di waktu lampau yang merujuk waktu terjadinya dan kesudahannya, dengan memperhatikan fungsi sosial, struktur teks, dan unsur kebahasaan yang benar dan sesuai konteks.

---

The exercise below will check your understanding about the differences of usage between the Simple Past and the Present Perfect tense. To review those differences, read Contrasting The Simple Past With The Present Perfect Tense.

Grammar Exercise: Contrasting the Simple Past with the Present Perfect tense.

Choose the correct form of the verbs.

1. A: Where's Diva? She isn't here.
   B: Oh, she ... shopping.
   1. went
   2. has gone
2. My parents ... married in Probolinggo in 1992.
   1. got
   2. have got
3. Do you know about Renee? She ... her job. She ... to quit last week. (choose 2 answers; A or B, and C or D)
   1. gave up
   2. has given up
   
   
   3. decided
   4. has decided
4. A: Ipin is in the hospital. He ... his leg.
   B: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. How ...?
   1. broke
   2. has broken
   
   
   3. did it happen
   4. has it happened
5. A: ... her number before leaving?
   B: Yes, but I'm afraid I ... it.
   1. Did she leave
   2. Has she left
   
   
   3. lost
   4. have lost
6. I ... French at school but I ... most of it.
   1. studied
   2. have studied
   
   
   3. forgot
   4. have forgotten
7. A: It ... a lot last week.
   B: Yes, but it ... at all this week.
   1. rained
   2. has rained
   
   
   3. did not rain
   4. has not rained
8. My brother lives in Jakarta. He ... there since 1990.
   1. lived
   2. has lived
9. I ... my great grandfather who ... about 45 years ago.
   1. never met
   2. have never met
   
   
   3. died
   4. has died
10. When I ... home last night, I ... very tired.
    1. went
    2. have gone
    
    
    3. was
    4. have been
11. A: I'm looking for Aji. ... him?
    B: Don't you know about him? He ... transferred to Surabaya branch office since last week.
    1. Did you see
    2. Have you seen
    
    
    3. was
    4. has been
12. Your car looks clean. ... it?
    1. Did you wash
    2. Have you washed
13. Albert Einstein ... the scientist who ... the theory of relativity.
    1. was
    2. has been
    
    
    3. developed
    4. has developed
14. He is a productive novelist. Up to now, he ... more than five best-selling novels.
    1. wrote
    2. has written
15. Look at the crowd! There ... an accident.
    1. was
    2. has been
16. A: ... today's newspaper?
    B: No. I think the manager is still reading it.
    1. Did you read
    2. Have you read
17. He ... in a bank for fifteen years. Then he ... it up.
    1. worked
    2. has worked
    
    
    3. gave
    4. has given
18. A: Your hair looks nice. ... a haircut?
    B: Yes. I ... it cut on Sunday.
    1. Did you have
    2. Have you had
    
    
    3. had
    4. have had
19. Your English is more fluent now. I think you ... a lot.
    1. improved
    2. have improved
20. A: I ... to Bromo last week.
    B: ... the sunrise?
    1. went
    2. have gone
    
    
    3. Did you see
    4. Have you seen

To do the computer-based version of this exercise and find out your score, click HERE.

Can you tell the difference between the sentences on the left and those on the right?

The sky is dark. I think it's going to rain soon.	Don't worry. It will rain someday.
There are signs of recovery. He's going to get well soon.	There is no sign of recovery. But I'm sure he will recover.
Workers are preparing their equipment. They are going to repair the building.	If you overload it, the machine will break down.

There are several different verb-forms that can be used to talk about the future. The most common structures are be going to structure, will, and the present continuous / present progressive.

Those three structures often have different meanings which are sometimes difficult to tell. Therefore, it is not always easy to choose the correct form. In this post, we are going to talk about the difference between the be going to structure and will by contrasting how they are used.

Contrasting Future "Be Going To" With "Will"

Be Going To Verb 1	Will Infinitive
Planned intentions To express a planned intention, or a plan with an intention. The plan is made before the moment of speaking and some preparations may have been made. Untuk mengungkapkan maksud terencana, atau rencana yang disengaja. Rencana tersebut dibuat sebelum saat berbicara dan mungkin sudah dilakukan persiapan untuk itu. Workers are preparing their equipment. They are going to repair the building. He has bought building materials. I think he's going to renovate his house. Note: When it is not known whether the intention has been planned or not, either be going to or will may be used. Jika tidak diketahui apakah sesuatu maksud direncanakan atau tidak, baik "be going to" atau "will" bisa digunakan.	Unplanned intentions To express an unplanned intention. The intention or decision to do something is made right at the moment of speaking, usually with no preparation. Untuk mengungkapkan maksud tak terencana. Maksud atau keputusan untuk melakukan sesuatu dibuat tepat pada saat berbicara dan biasanya tanpa ada persiapan. There's the doorbell. I'll open the door. Have you heard from her? ~ No, not yet. I'll call her now. Note: Using will infinitive is the best way to express a strong determination. Menggunakan "will infinitive" adalah cara terbaik untuk mengungkapkan kebulatan tekad. Okay. I will help you. (with stress on "will") We will make it!
3rd and 2nd person's intentions To express or ask about an intention made by the second person (you), or the third (he, she, it, they). The negative form shows that there is no intention. Untuk mengungkapkan atau menanyakan maksud orang kedua (you), atau ketiga (he, she, it, they). Bentuk negatif menunjukkan tidak adanya niat untuk melakukan sesuatu. Are you going to renovate the room? He isn't going to stay here.	1st person's intentions Will is almost always used to express first person's intentions. However, the negative form may be used for all persons, and usually means "to refuse to do something". Bentuk will hampir selalu digunakan untuk orang pertama. Tetapi, bentuk negative bisa digunakan untuk semua orang dan biasanya bermakna "menolak melakukan sesuatu". I will leave now! He won't stay here. (He refuses to stay.)
Near future To indicate near future events / actions. Untuk menyebutkan peristiwa / kegiatan yang akan terjadi dalam waktu dekat. The sky is dark. I think it's going to rain soon. Where's today's paper? I'm going to read it.	Near and Remote future To indicate near or remote future events / actions. Untuk menyebutkan peristiwa / kegiatan yang akan terjadi baik dalam waktu dekat maupun masih lama. The local government will build more schools in rural areas. It's a nice place. We will enjoy staying here.
Assumptions To express assumptions when there is a sign or symptom that something is certainly going to happen in the near or remote future. Untuk mengungkapkan asumsi / dugaan jika ada tanda atau gejala bahwa sesuatu pasti akan terjadi dalam waktu dekat atau relatif lama. The sky is dark. I think it's going to rain soon. There are signs of recovery. He's going to get well soon.	Assumptions To express assumptions, expectations, belief, or doubt that something will happen in the future. Untuk mengungkapkan asumsi / dugaan, harapan, keyakinan, atau keraguan bahwa sesuatu akan terjadi dalam waktu yang akan datang. Don't forget your coat. It'll probably be cold up there. (I expect it will be cold.) Onions will be expensive when harvests fail.

Exercise

Put the verbs into future "be going to" or "will infinitive".

1. Why are you moving the sofa? ~ I (repaint) this room.
2. The printer doesn't work again. ~ Really? I (call) the technician. I hope he's not busy.
3. How do we get to the museum from here? ~ I don't know, but I (ask) the policeman over there.
4. You (lend) me your dictionary, please? I need it. ~ Yes, certainly. Here it is.
5. You (buy) a new computer? ~ No, this one is still good.
6. My car is being repaired. You (give) me a lift?
7. Where's the flashlight? ~ It's in the drawer. What you (do) with it? ~ I (search) the warehouse. It's dark in there.
8. What a beautiful painting. Where you (put) it?
9. This curtain is very dirty. ~ Very well. I (have) it washed.
10. You (play) games all night? You are going to school tomorrow.

Reference:

1. Azar B.S. Understanding and Using English Grammar (2nd Ed). NJ: Prentice-Hall. Inc, 1989.
2. Thomson & Martinet. A Practical English Grammar (4th Ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.
3. Swan, M. Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980.

Also read:

	KOMPETENSI DASAR
3.6	Menganalisis fungsi sosial, struktur teks, dan unsur kebahasaan teks interaksi transaksional lisan dan tulis yang melibatkan tindakan memberi dan meminta informasi terkait keadaan / tindakan / kegiatan / kejadian yang dilakukan/terjadi di waktu lampau yang merujuk waktu terjadinya dan kesudahannya, sesuai dengan konteks penggunaannya. (Perhatikan unsur kebahasaan simple past tense vs present perfect tense)
4.6	Menyusun teks interaksi transaksional, lisan dan tulis, pendek dan sederhana, yang melibatkan tindakan unsur dan meminta informasi terkait keadaan/tindakan/kegiatan/kejadian yang dilakukan/terjadi di waktu lampau yang merujuk waktu terjadinya dan kesudahannya, dengan memperhatikan fungsi sosial, struktur teks, dan unsur kebahasaan yang benar dan sesuai konteks.

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It gets a bit tricky for English learners when they want to talk about past events. They have to consider whether the time of the event/action is known or not, and whether the action or situation is continuing up to the present or has finished. Based on my teaching experience, English learners often have difficulties in using the Simple Past and the Present Perfect correctly. The students are not accustomed to using different forms of verbs in relation with the time of event. Now let's take a look at the form of verbs in the Simple Past tense and the Present Perfect Tense.

The Simple Past (Verb 2)	The Present Perfect Simple (Have/has + V3)
Affirmative / positive I went to the museum last Sunday. He visited us two weeks ago. Negative I didn't go to the museum last Saturday. He didn't visit us last week. Interrogative / Question Did you go to the museum last Saturday? Did he visit you last week?	Affirmative / positive I have visited the museum twice this week. He has visited us a few times. Negative I haven't visited the museum for ages. He hasn't visited us this week. Interrogative / Question Have you visited the museum? Has he visited you this week?

To decide whether we should use the Simple Past tense or the Present Perfect Simple tense, look at the following guidelines.
1. Do we know when the event or situation happened? Which is important to talk about, the time of the event or the event itself?

The Simple Past

The Present Perfect Simple

To talk or ask about an event or situation which occurred at a specified time in the past. The time of event is important to talk about. Untuk membicarakan atau menanyakan kejadian atau situasi yang terjadi pada waktu lampau tertentu. Waktu kejadian penting untuk dibicarakan. When did you meet him? ~ I met him this morning. Where did you learn French? ~ I learnt French when I was at college.

To talk about events or situations which occurred at an unspecified time in the past. The event or situation is more important to talk about than the time of event. Untuk kegiatan atau kejadian yang terjadi di masa lampau dan waktu kejadian tidak diketahui secara pasti. Kejadian lebih penting untuk dibicarakan daripada waktu kejadian itu sendiri. Have you met him? ~ Yes, I have. I have finished reading the book.

2. Is the event or situation continuing up to the present time, or has it finished?

The Simple Past

The Present Perfect Simple

To indicate an event/situation which occurred in a period of time or at a moment in a period of time now terminated. The time of event is known and may be omitted from the sentence. Menggambarkan kejadian/situasi yang terjadi pada waktu atau suatu jangka waktu yang sekarang sudah berakhir. Waktu kejadian sudah diketahui dan tidak perlu disebutkan. He lived in Surabaya for six years. (He doesn't live there now) Andi Meriem Matalatta, who died in 2010, released at least twenty-six hit songs. Did she call you yesterday? ~ Yes, she called me three times yesterday. How long did you stay in Jakarta? ~ I stayed there for a week.

To indicate events or situations which began in the past, and have continued up to (or just before) the moment of speaking. Untuk kegiatan atau kejadian yang dimulai di masa lampau dan berlanjut hingga (tepat sebelum) saat berbicara. He has worked here for two years. (She has worked here since 2009, and is still working here.) Wali Band has released several hit songs so far. (They still exist.) Has she called you? ~ Yes, she has rang me up twice today. How long have you lived here? ~ I've lived here all my life.

3. Does the event or situation still have results in the present or not?

The Simple Past	The Present Perfect Simple
To indicate a past event/situation which no longer has results in the present. Menggambarkan kejadian/situasi lampau yang tidak lagi berdampak pada masa sekarang. The computer broke down. (but it's working again now) The students cleaned their classroom. (but it's probably dirty again now) He broke his right leg in the accident. (but he has recovered)	To indicate a recent event or situation which still has results in the present. Untuk kegiatan atau situasi yang baru saja terjadi dan masih berdampak pada masa sekarang. The computer has broken down. (We cannot use it now) The students have cleaned their classroom. (It's clean now) He has broken his right leg in the accident. (He is still in the hospital)

4. Just or Just now? British or American English?

The Simple Past	The Present Perfect Simple
1. Used with just now, meaning a moment ago, both in British and American English. She left just now. (She left a moment ago) The school bell rang just now. (It rang a moment ago) 2. Used wih just, meaning a moment ago, in American English. She just left. (She left a moment ago) The school bell just rang. (It rang a moment ago)	Used wih just, meaning a moment ago, in British English. She has just left. (She left a moment ago) The school bell has just rang. (It rang a moment ago) It has just stopped raining. (It stopped raining a few minutes ago) Has he just arrived?

5. Delivering news in British or American English?

The Simple Past	The Present Perfect Simple
To report news in American English. Did you hear the news? The Police arrested Nazaruddin. The government announced a new tax regulation.	To report news in British English. Have you heard the news? The Police have arrested Nazaruddin. The government has announced a new tax regulation.

Now practice what you've just learned and do the exercise on the link below. Reference:

1. Thomson & Martinet. A Practical English Grammar (4th Ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986
2. Swan, M. Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980