If we write a sentence "She ousted the maid vs. She has ousted the maid". Why use HAS. Is meaning the same? Action has happened.
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"has ousted" sounds more like something a long time ago or repeating, like "she has outsted the maids when they were tardy", vs just "she ousted the maid" sounds recent and topical, like a new development.– dandavisApr 10, 2018 at 1:56
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3 Answers
They have similar meaning and often can be used interchangeably but they are not exactly the same.
"She ousted ..." is past tense and describes action in the past.
"She has ousted ..." is present perfect. It describes her present state as a result of a past action.
Use the simple past tense "ousted" when there's a definite time expression. * She ousted the maid (yesterday).
Use the present perfect tense "has ousted" when there's no definite time expression. * She has ousted the maid.
These contexts might help you see the difference:
"What did she do yesterday at 2:00?"
"She ousted the maid."
or
"For weeks, she has been saying angry things about the maid. I'm curious now--has she ousted the maid?"
"Yes. She has ousted the maid."
"When did she do it?"
"She ousted the maid at 2:00."
