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Astronomers have been amazed that the Hubble Space Telescope has sent back so many spectacular images. But It hasn't always been this way.

I think it's wrong to say "But it hasn't always been this way."
It should be "It wasn't always this way."

What do you think?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Amir OghlowI think it's wrong to say "But it hasn't always been this way."

I don't see anything wrong with that sentence.

Amir Oghlow · Answer

Does "this way" mean "from here?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

No. In that sentence it means true.

Astronomers have been amazed that the Hubble Space Telescope has sent back so many spectacular images. But it hasn't always been this way. (There was a time in its history when it did not send back spectacular images.)

CalifJim · Answer

Amir OghlowI think it's wrong to say "But it hasn't always been this way." It should be "It wasn't always this way."

Good one. Interesting thought. It's OK because it's the negation of "It has always been this way", i.e., it means

It is not the case that it has continued to be this way from the past up until now.

As for "It wasn't always this way", it is like

There was a time in the past when it wasn't this way.

Both ways of saying it make sense and have the same meaning. The way it was written in the article about the telescope is the typical way of expressing that kind of thought.

CJ

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