1. Present perfect cannot be used with a temporal expression which does not include the present. The present perfect cannot be used in this sentence because it locates the action entirely in the past: yesterday. You must use the simple past.

2. In this case ‹read› is not understood as simple present but as simple past. The two tenses are pronounced differently (present: /ri:d/, past: /rɛd/), but have exactly the same form in writing. Consequently, ‹read› is correct here.

3. It is only occasionally true that the present perfect "specifies an action that has recently finished". The present perfect has other uses, too.

For a detailed introduction to the uses of perfect constructions, see What is the perfect, and how should I use it?, especially §§ 3.1 Grammatical meaning, 3.2 Pragmatic meaning and 4. When and how should I use the perfect?.

1. Present perfect cannot be used with a temporal expression which does not include the present. The present perfect cannot be used in this sentence because it locates the action entirely in the past: yesterday. You must use the simple past.

2. In this case ‹read› is not understood as simple present but as simple past. The two tenses are pronounced differently (present: /ri:d/, past: /rɛd/), but have exactly the same form in writing. Consequently, ‹read› is correct here.

3. It is only occasionally true that the present perfect "specifies an action that has recently finished". The present perfect has other uses, too.

For a detailed introduction to the uses of perfect constructions, see What is the perfect, and how should I use it?, especially §§ 3.1 Grammatical meaning, 3.2 Pragmatic meaning and 4. When and how should I use the perfect?.