have gone/been to

Question

I can say:

I have been to/gone to Europe 4 times.

but if I am currently in Europe, my secretary can say:

I'm sorry, he has gone to Europe. (but not been)

I was trying to explain this to a student, but found myself at a loss. Can anyone help me with a simple explanation?

Vorpar · Accepted Answer

Have been = to be
Has gone = to go

Just conjugate to be: I'm sorry, he is in Europe.

The past tense of to go works, because he has already taken his flight, the past tense of to be doesn't work, because he is still there.

Optilang · Answer

I have been to Europe 4 times = I have gone and come back.

He has gone to Europe = He has left to go to Europe, he may have arrived there, but in any case he has not come back.

To go - 2 past participles - gone and been.

Consider:

Where were you?? - I've just been to the shop. = been and come back

Where is Mary - Oh, she shouldn't be long, she's just gone to the shop. = gone, not back yet.

CalifJim · Answer

Old Man GordonI was trying to explain this to a student, but found myself at a loss. Can anyone help me with a simple explanation?

Here's a fairly simple explanation:
incomplete trip gone to (or left for)

one-way trip gone to

round trip been to (or gone to)
(Explicit mention of the number of times indicates round trips.)
_______________

So if you were in Europe, you had made a one-way trip to Europe. Only gone is possible, not been. I'm sorry. He has gone to Europe.
In your other example, four times is an explicit mention of the number of times, indicating round trips, so been is used (or gone). I have been/gone to Europe four times.

_________________

For your students:
Sketch a map showing an origination city and a destination city. Let's say they are New York and Paris.
Point to New York. Say I am going to Paris.

Move your pointer slightly off New York towards Paris. Say I have left for Paris. I have gone to Paris.

Move the pointer to Paris. Say I have arrived in Paris. I have gone to Paris.

Move back to New York. Say I have been to Paris.
Repeat several times, but each time you return to New York, add the iteration number: I have been to Paris twice / three times / four times, etc.

Do it all over again with different cities or countries.
And so on, and so on, with modifications as your creativity leads you. I'm sure you can improve on this sketchy lesson.
CJ

Old Man Gordon · Answer

Thanks all.

I like the idea of completion. Students already understand present perfect as a completed action, so it is easy to say that the 'going' is completed, while the 'being' is still in effect.

Anonymous · Answer

No problem with been ( fine and back) vs gone ( fine and not back yet, stil away

have gone/been to

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