How to use ‘have been’

• Unspecified time
• You do not remember exactly when the action happened during the past
• Use when the time point is not important than the action
• Use it to describe your experience (time is not important)

Examples

• I have been there before. (unspecific time)
• I have been to Mexico.
• I have been to Mexico two times. (unspecific time)
• I have never been to Mexico.
• I have been to Japan a few times. (unspecific time)

Specific time expressions:
yesterday
one year ago
last week
when I was a child
when I lived in Japan
at that moment
that day
one day
etc.

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How to use ‘went’

• You know exactly when (specific time) that action happened in the past.
• Though you might or might mention the time in the sentence (but you know when)
• Use to describe a habit in the past but now it does not happen anymore

Examples

• I went to Mexico last year.
• I went to Japan last month.
• I went to the football club after school. (telling the habit)

*Note

• Last year ≠ in the last year
  • Last year (specific that is one calendar year before)
  • In the last year (some point between last year, unspecific day or month)
• Same as
  • Last month ≠ in the last month
  • Last week ≠ in the last week
• Unspecific expressions:
  ever
  never
  once
  many times
  several times
  before
  so far
  already
  yet
  etc.

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Ep.1 English A Little: How to use i.e. vs e.g.

Resources:

• Simple Past
• Present Perfect