[JLPT grammar] In たことがある sentence, it doesn’t matter when you did it.

Today I am going to share the homework correction quoted from my JLPT N5 course!
The student’s sentence is not correct. Can you find the mistake?

 

[Student’s sentence]

きのう、その人を駅で見たことがあります。

*きのう、そのひとをえきでみたことがあります。

 



 

[My correction]

きのう、その人を駅で見たことがあります。
→きのう、その人を駅で見ました
I saw that person at the station yesterday.

 

〜たことがある indicates whether you have had an experience, rather than when it occurred. Therefore, you cannot use the phrase きのう, which specifies a time, together with 〜たことがある, which indicates having had an experience.

 

きのう、その人を駅で見ました。
I saw that person at the station yesterday.

◎その人を駅で見たことがあります
I have seen that person at the station.

×きのう、その人を駅で見たことがあります

 

I hope my explanation helps you. 😊

 

In the JLPT course, all lessons come with homework, if you submit your homework, I will reply with corrections.
I can break down the Japanese grammar and point out mistakes, explaining the structure and nuances of Japanese in an easy-to-understand way.
You can also ask me any questions as much as you want. I will teach you until you get it!