The past simple and the present perfect

Form:  

Subject + regular verb-ed or irregular verb (V2 form, Past Simple)

Use:

• Finished time

We lived Japan in from 1995-1998. (a time period that started and ended in the past)

• Definite time

I saw the Eiffel Tower in 2007.

• Series of finished actions

First, he read book and then he watched movie.

• Repeated actions

He went to the cinema every weekend last year.

Time phrases:

• yesterday
• ago
• last
• in 1994, etc.
• in the 20th century,etc.
• in July, etc.
• on Monday, etc.
• …