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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage

Have you been to a prom

Is it all right to ask someone who graduated from college long time ago, "Have you been to a prom?" Or does it suggest that the person spoken to is still in high school or college and so I should use "Did you go to a prom?" instead?
(assuming there is no such thing as a prom for adults)

lemmings
  

Top answer

" ... there is no such thing as a prom for adults) lemmingsThe Prom to a UK resident takes place at the[/nq] Royal Albert Hall. My last prom was in 1958.

  • " ...
  • there is no such thing as a prom for adults) lemmingsThe Prom to a UK resident takes place at the[/nq] Royal Albert Hall.
  • My last prom was in 1958.
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11 Answers
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[nq:1]Is it all right to ask someone who graduated from college long time ago, "Have you been to a prom?" ... there is no such thing as a prom for adults) lemmingsThe Prom to a UK resident takes place at the[/nq]
Royal Albert Hall. My last prom was in 1958.
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[nq:1]Is it all right to ask someone who graduated from college long time ago, "Have you been to a prom?" ... use "Did you go to a prom?" instead? (assuming there is no such thing as a prom for adults) lemmings[/nq]
I can't see how it would make a difference. If you're worried about it, phrase it "When you were in high school, did you go to a prom?"
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[nq:1]Is it all right to ask someone who graduated from college long time ago, "Have you been to a prom?" ... use "Did you go to a prom?" instead? (assuming there is no such thing as a prom for adults) lemmings[/nq]
I'm presuming you're an L2 learner and your question is about typical present perfect re simple past usage, right? As a Brit, I'm also assuming we're talking about US usage of the
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[nq:1]Is it all right to ask someone who graduated from college long time ago, "Have you been to a prom?" ... to is still in high school or college and so I should use "Did you go to a prom?" instead?[/nq]
What about the proms at the Albert Hall?
Do they still have them?

Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
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[nq:1]Is it all right to ask someone who graduated from college long time ago, "Have you been to a prom?" ... should use "Did you go to a prom?" instead? (assuming there is no such thing as a prom for adults)[/nq]
If I was introducing the subject, if there had been no discussion of proms earlier in the conversation, I would say, "Did you ever go to a prom?" The "ever" opens up the door to a ve
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[nq:2]Is it all right to ask someone who graduated from ... there is no such thing as a prom for adults)[/nq]
[nq:1]If I was introducing the subject, if there had been no discussion of proms earlier in the conversation, I would ... possibility extended up to the present, whereas the "Did" form suggests it must have happened further back in the past.[/nq]
Nobody has mentioned the seaside Pr
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[nq:2]If I was introducing the subject, if there had been ... suggests it must have happened further back in the past.[/nq]
[nq:1]Nobody has mentioned the seaside Prom (short for Promenade, like the concerts), which is a section of walkway between the ... O I do like to stroll along the prom, prom, prom, Where the brass band plays, tiddly om pom pom.[/nq]
Or a Grande Promenade, meaning a t
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[nq:2]Is it all right to ask someone who graduated from ... there is no such thing as a prom for adults)[/nq]
[nq:1]If I was introducing the subject, if there had been no discussion of proms earlier in the conversation, I would ... span: at any time in one's life. Without the "ever," the question sounds too abrupt: "What do you mean? When?"[/nq]
Thanks! Now come to this of it. This "Did yo
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[nq:2]If I was introducing the subject, if there had been ... the question sounds too abrupt: "What do you mean? When?"[/nq]
[nq:1]Thanks! Now come to this of it. This "Did you ever.." form is probably the one I most frequently hear ... way in colloquial American English, but would you say this form is also allowed in formal speech or educated writing?[/nq]
Yes. It's not some sort of infor
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Irwell:
[nq:2]Nobody has mentioned the seaside Prom (short for Promenade, like ... prom, Where the brass band plays, tiddly om pom pom.[/nq]
[nq:1]Or a Grande Promenade, meaning a tour of France.[/nq]
Or the Programmable Read Only Memory. Do these exist any more? They have all mutated into EPROMs I think.

the Omrud
through a Glass, darkly

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