Have arrived or have been arriving

Question

which is more correct?why?In Australia, since 1945  over six thousand people have arrived to settle.In Australia since 1945 over six thousand people have been arriving to settle.

Clive · Accepted Answer

First, please, which do you think, and why?

Laborious · Answer

Anonymouswhich is more correct?why?

Your first sentence, to me, is correct, because the verb 'arrive' is a moment-verb. If you say your #2 (have been arriving), it would mean that the people who started to arrive are still arriving, and haven't reach the destination (Australia). So, I'd say your first sentence "In Australia, since 1945 over six thousand people have arrived to settle" (Or "Since 1945, over six thousand people have arrived to settle in Australia") is correct.

Edit: Apologies to you, Clive. I couldn't see your post!

Anonymous · Answer

the two I think because they say you use since and for with present perfect simple and continuous.

Laborious · Answer

Anonymoususe since and for with present perfect simple and continuous.

Yes, you are right in saying that we can use either present perfect simple or continuous with 'since' or 'for'. But both the sentences have the word 'settle' in them and the speaker actually wants to say how many people have settled in Australia since 1945.

That's what I think of the two sentences, Anonymous.

Anonymous · Answer

Laborious Anonymoususe since and for with present perfect simple and continuous.Yes, you are right in saying that we can use either present perfect simple or continuous with 'since' or 'for'. But both the sentences have the word 'settle' in them and the speaker actually wants to say how many people have settled in Australia since 1945. That's what I think of the two sentences, Anonymous.

Is this the same?
My English has improved since I came to Australia.
My English has been improving since I came to Australia.

Laborious · Answer

AnonymousMy English has improved since I came to Australia.My English has been improving since I came to Australia.

Both the tenses (present perfect simple and present perfect continuous/progressive) can be used to express that an action began in the past and is still going on or has just finished. In many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a difference in meaning: We use the present perfect simple mainly to express that an action is completed or to emphasise the result. We use the present perfect continuous to emphasise the duration or continuous course of an action.

Both of your sentences, in my opinion, convey more or less the same idea/meaning. The difference is that your first sentence (with present perfect simple) emphasises the result (imporved English), and your second sentence (with present perfect continuous) emphasises the continuous course of the action.

---------------------

The original sentences were:
In Australia, since 1945 over six thousand people have arrived to settle.
In Australia since 1945 over six thousand people have been arriving to settle.

Let's take a look at these examples to make it more clear why I said the first sentence (present perfect simple) was correct, in my opinion.

- In Australia, they have established more than 50 hospitals since 1945.
- In Australia, they have been establishing more than 50 hospitals since 1945.

I think you may see the difference in meaning of those sentences. In the first one, the action of establishing (more than fifty hospitals) has finished. They started to establish hospitals in Australia in 1945, and have established more than 50 so far (up to the time of speaking). Whereas, in the second sentence, the action of establishing (more than 50 hospitals) is still in progress, is still going on.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi

Is this sentence correct or not, they have been arrived

Fivejedjon · Answer

It's incorrect. Intransitive verbs have no passive form.

Anonymous · Answer

AnonymousHiIs this sentence correct or not, they have been arrived

Is it right if i say I have been arrived in lisbon on alril 19?

Clive · Answer

No. You are talking about a simple event at a specific point in the past. Just use Simple Past tense.

I arrived in Lisbon on April 19.

Have arrived or have been arriving

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions