Both the present perfect and the past simple describe actions in the past, but they are used in different ways. The key difference is whether the past action is connected to the present or not.
The past participle is the third form of the verb: worked, gone, eaten.
Use the present perfect to talk about:
Use the past simple to talk about:
Note: in American English, people often use the past simple for recent news: I lost my keys. Did you eat yet? In British English, the present perfect is more common here.
If the “when” is important or known → use past simple. If it’s about the result or relevance now → use present perfect.
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