It's been an while since ... Past/Present perfect

The perfect in the second is not called for and sounds odd. The first is right, equivalent to "It's been a while since I last saw you."

enoonThe perfect in the second is not called for and sounds odd. The first is right, equivalent to "It's been a while since I last saw you.

I'd like to hear what you think about CalifJim's opinion on this. He explained that we can use present perfect two times in one sentence. His explanation makes sense t

whatchadoinI'd like to hear what you think about CalifJim's opinion on this.

I don't need to look. CJ is smarter than me and knows grammar better than I could ever hope to.

Thank you, enoon.

CJ says, on the page which whatchadoin showed, that native speakers do use the simple past at times when they really "mean to use" the present perfect.
So probably I don't need to worry about this so much.

Maki

whatchadoin,
Thank you so much for telling me about the elaborate explanation by CJ. It really helps me how to understand this!
Maki

MakiasanThank you, enoon.CJ says, on the page which whatchadoin showed, that native speakers do use the simple past at times when they really "mean to use" the present perfect.So probably I don't need to worry about this so much.Maki

I really haven't looked, but yes, it's the one way, but not the other way around. We Americans, more often than the British, I t

enoon,
To me, a Japanese native, the present perfect is one of the most difficult stuff to understand. Your explanation really helps me!
Thank you so much!
Maki