I keep mixing up "I have finished my homework" and "I finished my homework". My teacher says both are correct but in different situations. What is the actual rule?
The core rule is about whether the time is finished or not.
Past simple ⟶ a finished time you can point at: yesterday, last week, in 2019, an hour ago.
"I finished my homework an hour ago."
Present perfect ⟶ the time is unfinished, or the time is irrelevant and only the result matters now:
"I have finished my homework." (so I am free now)
"I have finished my homework today." (today is not over yet)
Quick test: if you can add a finished time expression without the sentence sounding wrong, use the past simple.
Nour Mahmoud
One more signal that helps: certain words pull one tense or the other. ago, yesterday, last night, in 2020 ⟶ past simple already, just, yet, ever, never, since, for, so far ⟶ present perfect Be careful with "since" and "for": since + a point in time (since…
Mostafa Gamal
Also worth knowing for exams: American English is more relaxed here and often accepts "I just finished", while British English (which the Egyptian curriculum follows) expects "I have just finished". Stick to the present perfect with just / already / yet in…
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