MICRO-STORY · ART + CLIMBING
This month I hundreds of photos, but last weekend I my camera at home. I outdoor climbing, but I to a new climbing gym yesterday and loved it.
01 · PRESENTATION
Two cameras. Two ways of looking at the past.
Imagine a photographer choosing a frame. Past Simple zooms in on a finished moment. Present Perfect takes a wider shot: the past matters now, or the time period is still open.
Present Perfect
have / has + past participle
I've climbed indoors many times. → experience; no specific finished time
I've taken lots of photos this month. → the month is still open
I've hurt my hand, so I can't draw today. → result now
I've lived in Moscow for several years. → still true now
Past Simple
V2 / -ed · did + base verb
I moved to Moscow in 2022. → finished, specific time
I studied at an art academy in St Petersburg. → finished stage
I went climbing last Saturday. → finished time
I danced ballet for years. → finished period
FINISHED TIME: yesterday · last year · in 2022 · ago→OPEN / CONNECTED TO NOW: ever · never · already · yet · just · so far · this week · for · since
Conversation superpower: use Present Perfect to introduce an experience, then switch to Past Simple for the details:
“I've been to Iceland.” → “Really? When did you go?” → “I went in 2024.”
“I've been to Iceland.” → “Really? When did you go?” → “I went in 2024.”
Present Perfect clues
everneveralreadyyetjustso farsince / forthis week*
Past Simple clues
yesterdaylast weekin 2021two days agowhen I was...at 7 p.m.
* “Today / this week / this year” often take the Present Perfect when the period is still viewed as open. A finished, specified past period takes the Past Simple. citeturn0search0turn0search1
02 · PRACTICE LAB
Choose, test, notice.
Don't rush. First ask: Is the time finished? Then ask: Does the past connect to now?
⚡ One-click grammar decisions
Score: 0 / 8
🧲 Sort the clues
Drag each phrase into the best bucket.
Present Perfect
Past Simple
03 · FLIP & TALK
Pick a number. Predict the question. Flip.
The front gives you a clue. The back gives you a personalised conversation question. Rule: answer naturally, then ask one follow-up question.
04 · PRODUCTION
Now make the grammar disappear.
Three speaking missions. No gap fills. Your job is to communicate something interesting and let the grammar do its work.
🎨
Gallery of a Life
Choose 3 experiences you've had as an artist/photographer. Introduce each with Present Perfect. Your partner is the curator and asks When? Where? What happened? — answer with Past Simple.
🧗
Climber's Truth Test
Make 4 true and 1 false statements about your climbing experience using ever / never / already / yet / so far. Your partner interrogates you until they identify the false one.
🏙️
Two Cities, One Story
Compare your life in St Petersburg and Moscow. Include 2 Present Perfect sentences about changes or experiences up to now and 3 Past Simple details about finished memories.
FINAL CHALLENGE · 90 SECONDS
The “Then → Now” Story.
Start with the exact sentence below. Keep talking for 90 seconds. Try to include at least 3 Present Perfect forms and 3 Past Simple forms. Click “random twist” whenever you need an unexpected direction.
I've changed a lot since I left St Petersburg. One of the biggest changes happened when...