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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

have been or was

0Hi,02br
02br
00Are they correct? When we have a phrase like "for the past few weeks''or "for the last few weeks", do we always have to use a presnet perfect and not a past? 02br
02br
00I was busy for the past few weeks.02br
02br
00I have been busy for the past few weeks.0-
  

Top answer

0"The past/last few weeks" is understood to be a period up to the present. 02br 02br 00Simple past doesn't sound good. I don't know if it's incorrect.

— Avangi

  • 0"The past/last few weeks" is understood to be a period up to the present.
  • 02br 02br 00Simple past doesn't sound good.
  • I don't know if it's incorrect.
  • 02br 02br 01i 00I took last week off.
  • I had been busy for the 01b 00previous02b 00 few weeks.
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2 Answers
0
0"The past/last few weeks" is understood to be a period up to the present. The answer to your question is yes.02br
02br
00Simple past doesn't sound good. I don't know if it's incorrect. 01i00 I was busy during the past few weeks.02i00 I guess both are okay.02br
02br
01i00I took last week off. I had been busy for the 01b
0
0
1i00the past few weeks02i00 requires the present perfect tense because the time period it expresses continues up to the present time.02br
02br
01i00the last few weeks02i00 requires the present perfect tense when it means 01i00the past few weeks02i00, but not otherwise.02br
00In the following sentences, 
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