he left vs he's left — 'ago' forces past simple (Additional Exercises, Present and past)
Pattern
Section titled “Pattern”Finished past time expressions force past simple, never present perfect.
- he left about ten minutes ago ✓
- he ’s left about ten minutes ago ✗
- he was leaving about ten minutes ago ✗ (process, not completion)
The rule
Section titled “The rule”Present perfect (have + V3) cannot be used with finished past time expressions:
| Time expression | Forces | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ago (ten minutes ago, two years ago) | past simple | He left ten minutes ago. |
| yesterday | past simple | He left yesterday. |
| last week / month / year | past simple | He left last week. |
| in 2020 | past simple | He left in 2020. |
| no time expression | present perfect OK | He’s left. (he’s not here now) |
Why present perfect works without time but not with
Section titled “Why present perfect works without time but not with”- He’s left. = his absence matters NOW (present perfect = current relevance)
- He left ten minutes ago. = a past event with a specific time (past simple = finished time)
The moment you say “ago”, you’re anchoring to a finished past point, which is the past simple’s territory. Present perfect is for time up to now — no specific finished point.
Test application
Section titled “Test application”A: Is David still here? B: No, ___ about ten minutes ago.
Answer: he left — “about ten minutes ago” is a specific finished past time → past simple.
Why not the others?
- he’s left ✗ — present perfect + “ago” = wrong (finished time)
- he was leaving ✗ — past continuous = describes the process of leaving, not that he’s gone
Source
Section titled “Source”Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use (4th ed.), Additional Exercises — Present and past (Units 1-18). Ebot lesson 2026-08-29: “No, ___ about ten minutes ago” → he left (past simple, ‘ago’ trigger).