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Could you explain please why "just now" is used more often with the past simple but "just" isn't. If we look up any English dictionary, we notice that. Mostly, JUST is used with the present perfect, but JUST NOW - with the past simple. The present perfect is used very rarely with "just now". Why?

Examples from dictionary: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/just-now

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/just%20now

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  • Cite examples please. "I have just posted a question now" seems OK
    – Mari-Lou A
    Sep 10 at 10:37
  • Have you tried Google? 'I have just now been contacted by the Lancashire Covid Vaccination Team', 'I have just now received a response from Surrey County Council requesting additional information.', ' I have just now found out what "TCM" (Turner Classic Movies) is an abbreviation for!' Sep 10 at 10:43
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    In American English, just is almost always used with the simple past. To me it sounds odd (though not incorrect) to use the present perfect in that context.
    – alphabet
    Sep 10 at 11:16
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    What @alphabet said. Brits use Perfect I have just arrived as often as Simple Past I just arrived, but Americans massively favour Simple Past. Sep 11 at 11:44

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"Just now" makes a more explict reference to time. It means the immediate past. It tends to get placed, like other time references at the start or end of the sentence. And it means "in the immediate past". As a time reference it would happily go with with a past tense verb. "I went shopping just now".

On the other hand, "just" is placed between the auxiliary and the participle "I've just gone shopping". You can't place it at the end "*I have gone shopping just." It isn't acting like a time adverbial.

But these are only at most tendencies. It is quite correct to say "I just went shopping" and "I've gone shopping just now."

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