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Paul_h Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

I lived / I have lived

Hi,

I have a question concerning present perfect and past tense again. I understand present perfect is used for undefined references to past events, such as Philosophers of the 19th century have done great work and so on.

If I say I have lived in New York City then it implies to some extent that I'm still living there.

If I say I lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris and London then this would imply that it was in the past, it's over, it's not like that anymore. I would understand that.

Can I possibly say "I have lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris and London"? If no, why not? If yes, where's the difference to the sentence above.

Wouldn't it make sense with the present perfect, too? I mean, I'm referring to events in the past but the point in time is unspecified.

Thanks

Paul
  

Top answer

paul_h Can I possibly say "I have lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris and London"? Yes, in fact it is common . Wouldn't it make sense with the present perfect, too?

— AlpheccaStars

  • paul_h Can I possibly say "I have lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris and London"?
  • Yes, in fact it is common .
  • Wouldn't it make sense with the present perfect, too?
  • The sentence above is in present perfect.
  • I mean, I'm referring to events in the past but the point in time is unspecified.
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5 Answers
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paul_hCan I possibly say "I have lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris and London"? Yes, in fact it is common.
Wouldn't it make sense with the present perfect, too? The sentence above is in present perfect. I mean, I'm referring to events in the past but the point in time is unspecified.
I lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris and London to avoid ambiguit
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AlpheccaStarsI lived in Tokyo from 2000-2002, in Hong Kong from 2002-2004, and in London from 2004-2007.
I would like to confirm whether it should be ' ... in Tokyo from 2000 to 2002, in Hong Kong from 2002 to 2004, and in London from 2004 to 2007'.

Many thanks.
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There is basically no right or wrong answer in this case, but I must say there is a slight difference. I've lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, and London indicates that you have been living in these 4 different countries. You've continued to live in these 4 countries. If you say I lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, and London it has already done in the past. Puff* gone. I would say that is the main
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You've continued to live in these 4 countries.
Not a likely scenario. No, that is not what the present perfect means.
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paul_h"I have lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris and London"?
AnonymousYou've continued to live in these 4 countries.
No. The present perfect simple here is used to say how many countries you've lived in so far. It doesn't mean that you still live there from time to time. Consider:

- In how many cou
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