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Makiasan Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

I [have lived / used to live] there before

Please read these two sentences.

"I can speak French because I have lived in Paris before."
"I am toned because I have belonged to a gym before."

Are these sentences OK?

Can these sentences suggest that "I don't live in Paris anymore" and "I don't go to the gym anymore"?

Or is it better to say "used to live/ belong" instead of "have lived/ have belonged"?

Maki
  

Top answer

" This means that you live there now. "I can speak French because I used to live in Paris" is what you want. " This does not make sense.

— Enoon

  • " This means that you live there now.
  • "I can speak French because I used to live in Paris" is what you want.
  • " This does not make sense.
  • "I am toned because I belong to a gym" is good English and makes sense, but I'm not sure what you want to say.
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7 Answers
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Makiasan Please read these two sentences."I can speak French because I have lived in Paris before.""I am toned because I have belonged to a gym before." Are these sentences OK?Can these sentences suggest that "I don't live in Paris anymore" and "I don't go to the gym anymore"?Or is it better to say "used to live/ belong" instead of "have lived/ have belonged"?Maki
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Hi enoon, thanks for your reply.

How about this?
"I know the staff because I have belonged to the gym before." ("The staff" works at the gym.)
Can this mean that I don't go to the gym anymore?
Or should I say "... I used to belong to the gym" when I want to mean I don't go there anymore?

Maki
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enooncan speak French because I have lived in Paris before." This means that you live there now. "I can speak French because I used to live in Paris" is what you want.
Hmm, are you sure about this? It seems that "before" clearly indicates that you've lived there in the past, possibly on more than just one occasion.
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"Before" is what is tripping us up. It implies "once again". If you have belonged to the gym before, you once again belong to it. If you used to belong to it, you no longer do.
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Yes, you are right. (with "before", you've lived in Paris in the past but it also implies that you still live there)
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Quite sure. "Before" is the problem. You have to drop it to put it all in the past: "I can speak French because I have lived in Paris." See my reply to Makiasan.
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