Past Participle (?)

[seanduckett]

Hello,

I am having trouble determining which is the proper use of the verb.

Ex.

Will the advertisements appear soon?
The ads already appeared.

OR

Will the advertisements appear soon?
The ads have already appeared.

Help!

[RonPurewal]

the difference you are looking at here is the difference between the past tense and the present perfect tense. like all other differences in verb tense, this one is fraught with complexity and subtlety; a brief explanation is below.

Present Perfect Tense
Despite its name, the present perfect is actually used to describe events that happened, or states that began, in the past.

* It can be used to describe past events that are seen as part of a pattern that could (or will) continue to happen:
- Jimmy has run the Boston Marathon ten times.

* It can be used to describe past events that are relevant to the situation at hand, even if those events could not possibly happen again. In this situation, there is usually some impression or effect left by the idea that's relevant to the current situation:
- I have earned a degree in chemistry (e.g., in an interview for a job in the chemical industry)

* It can be used to describe ways in which people, things, or ideas have existed (or not existed) from some past time up to the present:
- I have been sick for the last two months.
- No one has moved to that town since 1977.

--

the past tense is used when the above things are not true. for instance:

* the pattern could not possibly repeat itself anymore -- it's over and done.
- Jimmy ran the Boston Marathon ten times (... but now he can't run anymore, or doesn't run anymore)

* the fact is not relevant to the current situation
- I earned a degree in chemistry (e.g., in a random barroom conversation that has no relevance to chemistry)

* the state does not exist anymore -- again, it's over and done
- I was sick for two months before i saw the doctor.

[seanduckett]

Thank you, this clarifies things!

[jnelson0612]

Awesome! :-)