Should you say “I finished my work” or “I have finished my work”? Both sentences are correct, but they do not mean exactly the same thing. Many Bangladeshi learners mix up these two tenses, because Bangla does not show the difference in the same way. In this guide, you will learn one easy rule, the time words that help you choose, the most common mistakes, and a short practice quiz.
The easy difference in one minute
Ask yourself one question: is the speaker thinking about a finished time in the past, or about now?
The one rule to remember
Past simple = the action happened at a finished time. Your mind is in the past.
Present perfect = the action happened before now, and it is connected to now. The exact time is not important, or the time period is not finished.
সহজ কথায়: কাজটি কখন হয়েছিল সেটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ হলে past simple ব্যবহার করুন। কাজটির ফল বা অভিজ্ঞতা এখনও গুরুত্বপূর্ণ হলে present perfect ব্যবহার করুন।
Look at these two sentences:
- I lost my phone last week. This is a story about last week. Maybe you found the phone later. আমি গত সপ্তাহে ফোন হারিয়েছিলাম। (এখন ফোনটি পাওয়া গেছে কি না, তা বোঝা যায় না।)
- I have lost my phone. The phone is still lost, and this is a problem now. আমি ফোন হারিয়ে ফেলেছি। (ফোনটি এখনও পাওয়া যায়নি।)
How to make each tense
The two tenses have different forms. This table shows them side by side.
| Form | Past simple | Present perfect |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | She called me. | She has called me. |
| Negative | She did not call me. | She has not called me. |
| Question | Did she call you? | Has she called you? |
| Pattern | Subject + verb 2 | Subject + have/has + verb 3 |
Use have with I, you, we and they. Use has with he, she and it. In speech, we usually shorten them: I’ve, you’ve, she’s, he’s.
Regular verbs use the same form for verb 2 and verb 3: work, worked, worked. Irregular verbs change, so you need to learn them. Here are some common ones.
| Base verb | Past simple (verb 2) | Past participle (verb 3) |
|---|---|---|
| go | went | gone |
| see | saw | seen |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| write | wrote | written |
| do | did | done |
| take | took | taken |
Also read: 25 Common English Mistakes Bangladeshis Make (and How to Fix Them) and 50 Daily-Use English Sentences with Bangla Meaning
Time words that help you choose
Time words are your best clue. Some go with the past simple, and others go with the present perfect.
| Tense | Common time words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Past simple | yesterday, last week, in 2022, two days ago, when I was a child | We moved to Rajshahi in 2022. |
| Present perfect | ever, never, just, already, yet, recently, so far | I have just finished my lunch. |
| Present perfect | since 2021, for five years (still true now) | Rina has taught here since 2021. |
Two small words need extra care.
- For works with both tenses. “I lived in Khulna for five years” means you do not live there now. “I have lived in Dhaka for five years” means you still live there.
- Today and this week use the present perfect when the time is not finished. “I have drunk three cups of tea today” is correct because today is still going on. In the afternoon, you can say “I drank three cups of tea this morning” because the morning is over.
Three main uses of the present perfect
Most learners find the past simple easier. So, learn these three uses of the present perfect. For everything else about a finished past time, use the past simple.
1. Life experience
You are talking about your life up to now. The exact time does not matter.
- I have visited Cox’s Bazar twice. আমি দুইবার কক্সবাজার গিয়েছি।
- Have you ever eaten sushi? তুমি কি কখনও সুশি খেয়েছ?
- She has never flown in a plane. সে কখনও বিমানে চড়েনি।
2. A recent action with a result now
Something happened, and we can see the result now.
- I have finished the report. You can read it now. আমি রিপোর্টটি শেষ করেছি। এখন আপনি পড়তে পারেন।
- Someone has opened the window. It is cold in here. কেউ জানালাটি খুলেছে। এখানে ঠান্ডা লাগছে।
3. Something that started in the past and is still true
This use causes the most problems for Bangla speakers. In Bangla, we use the present tense here, but English needs the present perfect.
- Karim has worked at this bank since 2021. করিম ২০২১ সাল থেকে এই ব্যাংকে কাজ করছে।
- We have known each other for ten years. আমরা দশ বছর ধরে একে অপরকে চিনি।
Common mistakes to avoid
These are the mistakes we hear most often. Read each one and say the correct sentence aloud.
- I have seen him yesterday.I saw him yesterday.Yesterday is a finished time, so use the past simple. Yesterday থাকলে past simple হবে।
- I have finished my homework two hours ago.I finished my homework two hours ago.Ago always needs the past simple. Ago শব্দটি সবসময় past simple-এর সঙ্গে বসে।
- When have you arrived?When did you arrive?A question with when asks about a finished time. When দিয়ে প্রশ্ন করলে সাধারণত past simple হয়।
- I am living in Dhaka since 2020.I have lived in Dhaka since 2020.Use the present perfect with since when something is still true. বাংলায় “থাকি” বললেও ইংরেজিতে এখানে present perfect লাগে।
- Have you eat your lunch?Have you eaten your lunch?After have or has, use verb 3. Have বা has-এর পরে verb-এর third form বসে।
- She did not went to school.She did not go to school.After did or did not, use the base verb. Did বা did not-এর পরে verb-এর মূল রূপ বসে।
For more errors like these, read our guide to common English mistakes Bangladeshis make.
How the two tenses work together in conversation
Native speakers often use both tenses in the same conversation. They start with the present perfect to introduce a topic. Then they use the past simple to give details.
Monica: Have you ever been to Sylhet?
Joe: Yes, I have. I went there last winter.
Monica: Nice! What did you do there?
Joe: I visited the tea gardens and took lots of photos.
Monica: I have never seen a tea garden.
Joe: You should go! I enjoyed every minute.
The first question asks about life experience, so it uses the present perfect. When Joe says “last winter”, the time is finished, so the conversation moves to the past simple.
The same pattern helps in a job interview. Use the present perfect for your experience up to now, and the past simple for finished jobs.
Interview example
I have worked in customer service for four years. I joined my current company in 2022. Before that, I worked at a small call centre for two years.
Quick practice: choose the right tense
Try each question first. Then read the answer.
1. I ____ (see) that film last night.
Answer
I saw that film last night. “Last night” is a finished time.
2. Tania ____ (live) in Chattogram since 2019.
Answer
Tania has lived in Chattogram since 2019. She still lives there.
3. ____ you ever ____ (try) Thai food?
Answer
Have you ever tried Thai food? This is a question about life experience.
4. We ____ (finish) the project two weeks ago.
Answer
We finished the project two weeks ago. Ago needs the past simple.
5. Oh no! I ____ (forget) my wallet, and I need it now.
Answer
I have forgotten my wallet. The result matters now.
Remember the simple rule: a finished time needs the past simple, and a connection to now needs the present perfect. Make three sentences about your own life with each tense today. To practise more, take the daily quiz or explore our grammar lessons.
Practise now: test yourself with today’s free daily English quiz (10 questions, about 3 minutes, no sign-up).
