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Moon7296 Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

I've been studying until / I've studied until

1. I've been studying English for 3 years.
2. I've been studying English until I can't open my eyes.
3. I've studied English until I can't open my eyes.

Q) As far as I know, have + been + V-ing structure goes with duration.
But I was wondering if the structure can also go well with until like #2.
Also is #3 okay?
  

Top answer

(2) and (3) don't sound very good to me. For a start, "can't open my eyes" is a bit odd in this situation. I think you mean that you have become very tired, in which case "can't keep my eyes open" is better.

— GPY

  • (2) and (3) don't sound very good to me.
  • For a start, "can't open my eyes" is a bit odd in this situation.
  • I think you mean that you have become very tired, in which case "can't keep my eyes open" is better.
  • Even with this change I wouldn't recommend (2) or (3).
  • It is more natural to say something like "I've been studying for so long I can't keep my eyes open".
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10 Answers
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(2) and (3) don't sound very good to me. For a start, "can't open my eyes" is a bit odd in this situation. I think you mean that you have become very tired, in which case "can't keep my eyes open" is better. Even with this change I wouldn't recommend (2) or (3). It is more natural to say something like "I've been studying for so long I can't keep my eyes open".
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1 is fine, 2 & 3 don't sound good at all.

I would say it like this:

I had been studying English until I couldn't open my eyes anymore (or keep my eyes open).

Notice the necessity for the Past Perfect tense, in this case Continuous.

In case you insist on the tie to the present, the 1st answer works perfect (I've been studying Englis
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viborrrI would say it like this:I had been studying English until I couldn't open my eyes anymore (or keep my eyes open).
If there isn't other context related to the studying, I would just keep it simple with past progressive:
I was studying English until I couldn't keep my eyes opened anymore.
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viborrrI would say it like this:I had been studying English until I couldn't open my eyes anymore (or keep my eyes open).
"I have been studying" and "I had been studying" are different. Irrespective of the "until" part, you cannot replace one with the other without changing the meaning.
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Irrespective of the "until" part but not irrespective of "couldn't", which is past tense, and calls for "pluperfect".
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moon7296As far as I know, have + been + V-ing structure goes with duration.
As in 1. Yes.

I've been studying English for three years. (from three years ago until now)

It's the three years that ends now that constitutes the duration.
moon7296I was wondering if the structure can also go well with until like #2. A
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CalifJimNo. "until" designates a point in time, just as 5 pm does. It does not designate a duration. You cannot use an expression that designates a point in time with the present perfect.CJ
Perfect explanation!
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viborrrIrrespective of the "until" part but not irrespective of "couldn't", which is past tense, and calls for "pluperfect".
The original didn't have "couldn't", it had "can't".
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I know, I know... I just offered it in order to preserve her original construction as much as possible.
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If there isn't other context related to the studying, I would just keep it simple with past progressive:
I was studying English until I couldn't keep my eyes opened anymore.
This only works as a general statement for something that was happening again and again, as a habit or routine:
I was (always) studying until I couldn't keep my eyes open.
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