Present perfect vs simple past

[me]

is it right if while i am talking with my friends i say "i dumped my girlfriend" or "i bought a new car"? i had to use present perfect?

[Yankee]

Hi Harry ;)

I would probably use the simple past tense in most cases. (American English)

You could use the present perfect this way:

Harry's friend: "What's new?"
Harry: "Well, I've dumped my girlfriend." *****
Harry's friend: "Really? Why?"
Harry: "Well, I saw her kissing another guy."
Harry's friend: "Really? Who was she kissing?"
Harry: "It was that guy who lives over on Elm Street."
Harry's friend: "You're kidding! That guy is ugly as sin!"
Harry: "You can say that again! I couldn't believe my eyes! But it was real! So I dumped her."

The point is:
Often you use the present perfect to begin talking about or introduce a topic. Then, when you go into the details, the conversation changes to the simple past tense.

NOTE:
***** In the USA, this sentence would probably also be in the simple past tense. (Well, I dumped my girlfriend.)

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Tom]

[Yankee]

I used a slang word that means "stupid guy". But apparently the forum software doesn't allow it. :lol: I've already edited the text.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Guest]

so if i am talking with somebody and i can use both of the sentences?right? (i have duped my girlfriend or i dumped my girlfriend) they are right?

[Yankee]

[Guest]

i had this problem while reading a book. One person says:"i dumped him" another one says : she's dithced him.
Are there any differences of meaning?
or it is only why i can use both of the times?

[Yankee]

Hi Guest

I would like to congratulate you on your knowledge of the word ditched, but not on your spelling. :lol: ;)

Yes, "She dumped him" and "She ditched him" could mean the same thing.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Guest]

no i meant about the time....could you tell me why the american people uses the simple past so much?

[Yankee]

Hi Guest

No, I can't explain why. Sorry. :cry:

But please don't start thinking that the British never (or hardly) use the past tense. And please don't think that Americans never use the present perfect.

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Guest]

but have i to say for example:"she has given me the cd" if i say it to introduce the topic even if the thing i am talking was given me in the past?

[Yankee]

Hi Guest

As an American, I would most likely say "She gave me the CD".

But, where I would be more likely to use the present perfect would be in a sentence like this:
"She has given me a lot of CDs."

And then if the conversation continues and I talk about a specific CD or CDs (received from her), then I'd change over to simple past tense:

"I hated the last CD she gave me. I listened to it a few times, just to see if it would grow on me, but it didn't. So, I threw it away a couple of weeks ago."

As you can see, in the last few sentences there is no "time" or "when" specifically mentioned until you get to the last sentence.
The conversation is about the details of something in the finished past. Even before I get around to mentioning a specific time in the last sentence, I know that everything is finished and so that's exactly how I would say it. :D

Here is a variation of the same conversation, with no specific time mentioned anywhere:

A: "She has given me a lot of CDs. I hated the last CD she gave me. I listened to it a few times, just to see if it would grow on me, but it didn't."

B: "Oh, well then, if you don't like it, can I have it? I love that band."

A: Sorry, I'm afraid I've (already) thrown it away."
(End of conversation.)
WHEN the CD was thrown away is not the least bit important. The only thing that's important is that the CD is now gone. This also has an effect on the present because the other person asks for but can't have the CD.

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Guest]

you told me that if the sentence is the begin of the topic i should use the present perfect.....do you use the simple past to say it happened in the past?
if i say :"she's given me the cd" or " she's appointed me your public defender" are there any kind of differences of time can both of them be expressed with the two times

[Yankee]

[Guest]

sorry do not does.......one last question.....if you come to somebody you don't know you say:"the court has appointed me your public defender " or "the court appointed me your public defender"? please answer me
hi fellas!