The Golden rule

[daffy]

My teacher told me there's a Golden rule for the past tense wich I never heard of after all those years they tried to teach me the English language.
Can somebody confirm if following is right?

When something started in the past and continues in the present in English we use the past perfect (with to have):
We have known each other for a week now.
meaning we still know each other.

He has received her letter for years.
meaning he is still receiving her letters

When something started in the past, but also ended in the past in English we use the past tense (without to have):
I saw him yesterday.
meaning I don't see him still at the moment, only yesterday

What will happen when I say:"I have seen him yesterday." This must be bad English then. In Dutch we say it like that. In Dutch we use the past perfect when something is really over. A little bit confusing to me. Can somebody help me in this?

[Tukanja]

My teacher told me there's a Golden rule for the past tense which I never heard of after all those years during which they (tried to teach me) tought me (the) English language.
Can somebody confirm if following is right?

When something started in the past and continues in the present in English we use the past perfect (with to have):
We have known each other for a week now.
meaning we still know each other.
He has received her letter for years.
meaning he is still receiving her letters
When either an action or event started in the past and has continued to the time of speaking in English we use the Present Perfect.
He has lived in his city of origin for his whole life.
In the sentence you suggested, it is better to use the Present Perfect Continuous aspect instead of the Present Perfect for it wouldn't be a bad idea to emphasise the way of how he has been living these last years concerning the relationship with her. And of course it means he is going to receive her letters for some time in the future as well.
He has been receiving her letters for years.

When something started in the past, but also ended in the past in English we use the past tense (without to have):
I saw him yesterday. (correct)
meaning I don't see him still at the moment, only yesterday
If we want to emphasise that we have seen him, not telling (pointing) when exactly, then we should use the Present Perfect tense.
Have you seen Peter? (since we last met each other (we last met each other would be an adverb of time in the sentence but this adverb of time point to the time period which lasts from the time when the event happened in the past to the time of speaking))
Yes, I have. (I haven't said when! It doesn't matter. Wasn't asked by the questioner

What will happen when I say:"I have seen him yesterday." This must be bad English then. In Dutch we say it like that. In Dutch we use the past perfect when something is really over. A little bit confusing to me. Can somebody help me in this?
The Present Perfect aspect emphasise the result of the action and the time when it has happened doesn't matter.
Has he given you the money?
Yes, he has!

If the questioner is interested in the time when it has happened he will ask the next question as it follows

When?
Yesterday.

Also instead of the last question the questioner could give us an additional incuisitive glance on which we should also give additional answer such as yesterday. But the additional answer yesterday isn't the part of the previous sentence in which the PP was used

It's pretty hard to get the Present Perfect aspect completelly correct.
The aspect seems simple but it isn't, it isn't at all!

For example

Have you seen Peter?

Yes I have. When I saw him yesterday he has hit me in the face that I am going to take him to the court and charge him for it.

I wonder should there be said he hit me or he has hit me in the sentence because on one hand the event happened yesterday (it has been mentioned) and on the other it has made the result that he will be taken to the court.
What's more important?
In my opinion the result is more important then the time when it has happened.
Because of that I said he has hit me and not he hit me.

[Tukanja]

When either an action or event started in the past and has continued to the time of speaking in English we use the Present Perfect.

I might have said
When either an action or event starts/happens in the past and continues to the time of speaking in English we use the Present Perfect tense .

[daffy]

Thank you for the explanation. I printed the lot and I'm going to read it thoroughly.

[Tukanja]

You're welcome!

[Planta]

The Past.
Despite the name, the Present Perfect refers to the Past; it only highlights a relationship between this Past and the Present time, the current moment.

Three cases are usually mentioned:

1. Life experience :
   • The finished past period is mentioned in your whole life / the entire world's history perspective, up until now. The number of times can be optionally mentioned. The date/time when it happened can not be mentioned (in which case you must use the Past Simple).
   • Example :
     "Have you ever been to France?"
     "Yes, I have been there twice. I went there in 2001 and 2005."
     - "Has anybody found a solution for this Math problem?"
     - "No, it has never been solved".
   • Timeline : [Birth day] ------(---)----- ... -------[Present]--
   • Key words : "ever...?" "never, once, twice, XX times, always"
2. Unfinished / Ongoing Past :
   • This is the case mentioned by your teacher, other posters on this thread and you. The action started in the past, but it still happens in the present.
   • Example :
     "We have known each other since last week."

     We have known each other for a week now.

     "The widow was married for 45 years" (She's a widow, her husband died, she's not currently married, not anymore; it's a finished past, thus Past Simple)
     "We have been married for 7 years" (Everybody still together, alive and kicking!)
   • Timeline : -------------(-----[Present]--
   • Keywords : "since", "for"
3. Recent / "Fresh" Past
   • When a finished past has happened too recently and is really "fresh", or if it's somehow very relevant to the current moment, we can emphasize this by using Present Perfect (usually with "just")
   • Example :
     "Hey teacher, you've just dropped your pen!"
     - "Where on Earth have you been??"
     - "Oh, I've just come from the gym. Why?"
     "Frank Wrenchy, the bank robber, has escaped from prison" (Even though not so fresh - having happened yesterday instead of minutes ago - it's highly relevant / concerning to the present. Newspaper headlines do this often.)
   • Timeline : --------------(----)-[Present]--
   • Key words: "just", "recently"

The Past Simple, the first Past we ever learn, usually wants to highlight how far in the past some action is, or how fixed in a past moment/period it is (that's why we must use it when time / dates are mentioned), or how finished / concluded it is.

Now, if you could understand these cases of the Present Perfect, it is pretty straightforward to understand the Past Perfect, which - guess what - has some moment in the Past as its reference, instead of the Present, and uses had instead of have/has. It is "the past of the past". It is often used when we are telling past stories.

1. Life Experience (up to that moment in the past)
   • "I was 6 years old, and I had never ridden a bike before. So then I tried, and I fell."
     "So there were Mary and I, and I had kissed girls only twice before that."
   • Timeline : [Birth day] ------(---)----...----[Past]-------[Present]--
2. Ongoing Past (starting before and still happening at that moment in the past)
   • "I had dated him for only 3 weeks until then, but nevertheless I said 'Let's move in together!'. And he ran away like hell. =o/ "
     
   • Timeline : -------------(-----[Past]---)------[Present]
3. Recent Past (having finished very closely to that moment in the past)
   • "I had just arrived at the airport, when her airplane took off".
   • Timeline : --------------(----)-[Past]-------[Present]--

Well, every time tense we learn has a Continuous version, which only lends more dynamism / motion to the action at said time, as well as accuracy at that time - like "I smoke" (it's my present habit), "I'm smoking" (I'm doing it right now).

I don't know if this huge "cases of use" checklist makes for a "simple golden rule", but I sure think (and hope) it helps.



Past Cheers!

Planta.

[Tukanja]

My English is far from perfect but I know enough to get by.

Let it be as you've said.

Yep! Let it be as I said.