I'm not sure why...

Question

I've been doing some tests and i don't understand why it's wrong. I will appreciate for any help.

1)

James: Dave, I haven't seen (see) you for a long time.

Dave: No well, I've lived (live) in West London for the last few years. -The correct answer i that i found is I've been living

2)

James: Have you met anyone famous?

Dave: Well, yes! I worked (work) with some famous people in the time I've been there. -The correct answer i that i found is have worked

3)

James: What have you been doing this year?

Dave: Well, I finished work on a comedy, and for the past couple of weeks I have helped (help) the director to cast a new romantic comedy. -The correct answer i that i found is I have been helping

Thank you

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

The Modest OneI've been doing some tests and i don't understand why it's wrong. I will appreciate for any help.

1)
James: Dave, I haven't seen (see) you for a long time.
Dave: No well, I've lived (live) in West London for the last few years. -The correct answer i that i found is I've been living

2)
James: Have you met anyone famous?
Dave: Well, yes! I worked (work) with some famous people in the time I've been there. -The correct answer i that i found is have worked

3)
James: What have you been doing this year?
Dave: Well, I finished work on a comedy, and for the past couple of weeks I have helped (help) the director to cast a new romantic comedy. -The correct answer i that i found is I have been helping

Thank you

Hi Modest One;

Welcome to the forums!

Your answers are not incorrect, but a native speaker would likely choose the alternative tense.

I've been living in West London for the last few years. (I continue to live in West London.)

I've lived in West London for the last few years. (This stresses a past action that may or may not be completed. It is not incorrect, just a matter of emphasis on continuation.)

Well, yes! I have worked with some famous people in the time I've been there. (Answer in the same tense as the question, and the tense used in the dependent clause. Again, the simple past is not incorrect, but a native speaker would choose the present perfect for consistency.)

The answer in the last example is the same reason as the first. (Continuation of a past action.)

Regards,

A-

s

Avangi · Answer

I wouldn't consider your answers grammatically incorrect. But the "preferred answers" are better.

In number two, the question is asked using the perfect tense. There's probably a contextual reason for this, so you should answer in the perfect, rather than in the simple past.

If the question had been, "Did you meet anyone famous?" then the simple past would be appropriate.

The question in the simple past would imply that the time being discussed was in the past.

In numbers one and three, you're describing a condition which was continuing through some period up until the present, so the perfect continuous is better than the present perfect, which could imply that the condition has ceased to exist.

These are subtle differences.

CalifJim · Answer

You have to make an educated guess at whether the question is trying to find out about activities (continuous) or an experience (non-continuous).

3) What have you been doing? is the classic case of asking about your activities. (continuous)

Answer: I have been - ing

1) I haven't seen you for a long time implies What have you been doing? What activities have you been doing during the time I have not seen you? This one is a little trickier because you have to decide what is implied by saying I haven't seen you for a long time. (continuous)

Answer: I have been -ing

2) Have you met anyone famous? asks whether you have had a certain experience, namely, the experience of meeting someone who is famous. (non-continuous)

Answer: I have [past participle]

By the way, you don't use the simple past (worked) because you have a present perfect in the phrase in the time I've been there and because the question was in the present perfect.

CJ

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