Unit 13 Present perfect and past (1) (I have done and I did)

Do not use the present perfect if there is no connection with the present (for example, things that happened a long time ago):

The Chinese invented printing (not ‘have invented’) How many plays did Shakespeare write? (not ‘has Shakespeare written’) Beethoven was a great composer. (not ‘has been’).

Shakespeare wrote many plays. Compare with:

My sister is a writer. She has written many books. (she still writes books)

We use the present perfect to give new information. But if we continue to talk about it, we normally use the past simple.

Ow! I’ve burnt myself. How did you do that? (not ‘have you done’) I picked up a hot dish. (not ‘have picked’) Look! Somebody has spilt milk on the carpet. Well, it wasn’t me. I didn’t do it. (not ‘hasn’t been... Haven’t done’) I wonder who it was then. (not ‘who it has been’).