About the use of present perfect tense
Hey,
I have a question about the present perfect tense.
Lets take this example: I haven't seen you for a while/ I haven't seen you since the last time we spoke/ It's been a longtime since we last spoke etc.
I know that in these situations, present perfect tense is used for the situation which started in the past and continues until this time and keeps on. So why are we saying "It's been a long time" or "I haven't seen you for a while"? Because the moment I saw the person, the waiting has finished and now I have seen the guy. so I shouldn't be saying "Its been a while since I last saw you" because the time during which I haven't seen the person has ended. I saw the person. So why are we using present perfect tense for something that is not continuing. "The period of not-seeing" ended at that point but I still say "It's been a longtime since I last saw you".
Thank you very much
Top answer
gaselle the time during which I haven't seen the person has ended That's not important for choosing the present perfect. What's important is that the time of not seeing began in the past and continued up to the present. Essentially, the present perfect forms a bridge between the past and the present.
- gaselle the time during which I haven't seen the person has ended That's not important for choosing the present perfect.
- What's important is that the time of not seeing began in the past and continued up to the present.
- Essentially, the present perfect forms a bridge between the past and the present.
- gaselle It's been a long time since I last saw you The reasoning is the same here.
- The long time started in the past and continued until now.
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gasellethe time during which I haven't seen the person has ended
That's not important for choosing the present perfect. What's important is that the time of not seeing began in the past and continued up to the present.
Essentially, the present perfect forms a bridge between the past and the present.
gaselleIt's been a long
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