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Pieanne Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
A "has been"
0 (Should it be hyphenated?) 02 br
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00 Grammatically speaking, shouldn't it be a "was"? 02 br
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00 That expression is also common in French, and I'm wondering how it can be justified in terms of grammar... Since the present perfect always has a connection with the present, would it be the only use when it refers to the past? 02 br
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00 Thank you for your thoughts. 0-
02 br
00 Grammatically speaking, shouldn't it be a "was"? 02 br
02 br
00 That expression is also common in French, and I'm wondering how it can be justified in terms of grammar... Since the present perfect always has a connection with the present, would it be the only use when it refers to the past? 02 br
02 br
00 Thank you for your thoughts. 0-
Top answer
0 Hi Pieanne, 02 br 02 br 00 When you say someone is a 'has-been', you are saying that he/she 01 i 00 has been 02 i 00 someone important, but that now they no longer have that importance. 02 br 02 br 00 Best wishes, Clive 0-
- 0 Hi Pieanne, 02 br 02 br 00 When you say someone is a 'has-been', you are saying that he/she 01 i 00 has been 02 i 00 someone important, but that now they no longer have that importance.
- 02 br 02 br 00 Best wishes, Clive 0-
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4 Answers
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0 Hi Pieanne, 02 br
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00 When you say someone is a 'has-been', you are saying that he/she 01 i 00 has been 02 i 00 someone important, but that now they no longer have that importance. So, there is a connection to the present. 02 br
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00 Perhaps it's better to be a has-been than a 'never-will-be', what do you think? 02 br
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00 When you say someone is a 'has-been', you are saying that he/she 01 i 00 has been 02 i 00 someone important, but that now they no longer have that importance. So, there is a connection to the present. 02 br
02 br
00 Perhaps it's better to be a has-been than a 'never-will-be', what do you think? 02 br
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0 Hi, Clive, thank you for your answer 05 0 02 br
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00 I'm quite aware of the meaning, but How can we justify the connection to the present? To me it's more of a "used-to"... or a "was". You don't say "He's been famous for X years, but now he isn't"? Or do you? 05 1 010id 111id 7
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00 I'm quite aware of the meaning, but How can we justify the connection to the present? To me it's more of a "used-to"... or a "was". You don't say "He's been famous for X years, but now he isn't"? Or do you? 05 1 010id 111id 7
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0 Hi Pieanne, 02 br
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00 Well, you could say 'I have been a movie star ( 01 i 00 implying 02 i 00 but now I'm not one any longer)'. 02 br
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00 The negative aspect comes from people who go around defining themselves today by what they once were in the past. The implication, as you know, is that they are no longer as successful today. 02 br
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00 Well, you could say 'I have been a movie star ( 01 i 00 implying 02 i 00 but now I'm not one any longer)'. 02 br
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00 The negative aspect comes from people who go around defining themselves today by what they once were in the past. The implication, as you know, is that they are no longer as successful today. 02 br
00
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