I have just eaten vs I just ate

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

This is me again. I’d like to propose a new versus thread. I have just eaten vs I just ate? what is the difference? is it american vs british english? please give me your twopence. Thanks

2

I’m a British English speaker, and to me “I just ate” feels only faintly American.

I can’t really detect any difference in meaning (the word “just” overrides any difference that the change in tense might otherwise have indicated).

3

“I just ate” is A.E (American Eng)
I have just eaten : is B.E (British Eng).

Indeed, There are no significant difference in this case. In US. , American prefers using past tense to replace the present perfect.
As a learner, this reply is for reference. If anyone considers my answer is not correct, please correct me.

4

Not entirely correct.
Dozy is a British national and doesn’t see much difference because of the inclusion of the word “just”.

5

Nor me.

6

Hi,

I think it’s important to know what you are using ‘just’ to mean. If you suggest ‘only’, I would use the past simple as in: I didn’t say a word I just sat there in silence. If you mean ‘not long ago’, I would use the present perfect as in: I have just received a letter through the past.

Alan

7

Hmm. How does one receive a letter through the past? Sounds suspiciously like time travel.

[size=75](Just teasing, Alan. Please take it in the spirit intended. It IS kind of a funny typo, isn’t it?)[/size]

Saying ‘I just ate’ to mean that you had a meal a very short time ago is extremely common in the US. The present perfect will also sometimes be used in such a sentence, but much less often. Another commonly used sentence is this:

  • Did you eat yet?

In fact, that sentence is so commonly used that people often joke about the way we actually say it since it typically ends up sounding like this:

“Geet yet?”

8

Hi,

Thanks for your sharp eyed correction.

Alan

9

I received the following question in a PM:

Hi Jenny,

First of all, it is not wrong to say “I just ate”. Alternatively, you can also use the present perfect in that sentence if you wish. Typically, we would not use the present perfect in the following sentence, however:

- I just ate five minutes ago.

There is no rule that requires the use of ‘ago’ or the mention of a specific past time in the sentence in order to use the past simple. In addition, the word ‘just’ can be used in a variety of ways, with a variety of tenses. For example, the word ‘just’ can also be used with the simple future:

  • You’re going to miss your flight if you keep dawdling. If you leave now, you will just make it.

As for your new sentence (I cannot believe that you talked me into going to the dance), the simple past tense is ideal. It is natural and completely grammatical. For that particular sentence, I’d say the simple past tense would be the best choice in the vast majority of contexts.

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By the way, whenever you have a grammar question, you should post it directly in the forum. That’s why the forum is here.
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