I have lived in the dorm in two years.

Question

1) I lived in the dorm in two years.2) I have lived in the dorm in two years.I'd like to know whether I can use either #1 or #2.Thank you in advance for your help.

Ozzourti · Accepted Answer

No, "in" is not the right preposition. You need to use "for":

I lived in the dorm for two years. (The speaker no longer lives in the dorm.)
I have lived in the dorm for two years. (The speaker most likely still lives in the dorm.)

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, ozzourti, for your quick and very valuable answer.

By any chance, can't I use "in" in place of "for" in the present perfect tense without the words like 'last', the ordinal like "first", and the superlative like "best"?

Ozzourti · Answer

You can use "in" in negative sentences. For example, "I haven't lived in the dorm in two years" indicates that it has been two years since the speaker moved out of the dorm.

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, ozzourti, very much for your very quick answer.

Then, I can never use "in" in affirmative sentences using present perfect tense, can't I?

Ozzourti · Answer

park sang joon"in" in affirmative sentences using present perfect tense

I can think of no such sentences at the moment. Do you have a specific example in mind other than the ones we have already covered?

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, ozzourti, for your continuing support.
How about this "Revenue from taxation had risen in a decade from 7,000,000 to 20,200,000."
<Source : "Decade Sentence Examples" In YOUR DICTIONARY http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/decade>

Ozzourti · Answer

It seems that a lot depends on the verb itself. The verb "rise" denotes some sort of change. If a number has risen, it is now greater than it was initially. So in the case of the sentence you have just provided, the process had been completed within the space of ten years. This does not apply to the verb "live" in its usual sense.

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, ozzourti, for your continuing support and sincere concern.

The verb "rise" denotes some sort of change.

I kind of see what you mean.
Then, do you think I can use "in" along with those kind of verbs in the past tense, not the perfect tense?

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonRevenue from taxation had risen in a decade from 7,000,000 to 20,200,000.

"in" indicates the amount of time that is (or was) required for a process to be accomplished.

Jack finished building the dog house in three days.
By following my advice you can become a genius in three days!
The mention of his car accident was so embarrassing that he changed the subject in the blink of an eye.

The present perfect is not the best tense to use with "in" + period of time. In this case, the meaning is just "during", and has nothing to do with the time required. Examples:

Defectors from the military have battled government forces in recent days.
North winds and the cold have kept people off the water in the last couple days.
Several countries have issued travel warnings for Thailand in the past few days.

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Hello, Mr.Jim
Thank you for your elaborate and precise answer.

<http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/in_1>
7 (used in negative sentences or after first, last, etc.) for a particular period of time
I haven't seen him in years.
It's the first letter I've had in ten days.

I'd much like to hear your opinion about what the dictionary says about an usage of "in."

I have lived in the dorm in two years.

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