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LoveCZ Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Last semester & In the last semester
Okay, thanks for coming in. I was told that we ought to use simple past for "last year", and present perfect for "in the last year". Since "last year" is clear enough to be a specific time but not for "in the last year".
Just like:
She went to UK last year.
She has been to UK in the last year.
Then, I wonder, what about this:
She was very enterprising last semester.
She has been very enterprising in the last semester.
Well, actually I just think it is kind of weird to put "last semester" directly after the clause... so I would to be sure.
Please verify, thanks much.
Just like:
She went to UK last year.
She has been to UK in the last year.
Then, I wonder, what about this:
She was very enterprising last semester.
She has been very enterprising in the last semester.
Well, actually I just think it is kind of weird to put "last semester" directly after the clause... so I would to be sure.
Please verify, thanks much.
Top answer
loveCZ She was very enterprising last semester. Ok She has been very enterprising in the last semester . This is clearly a past tense situation so present perfect is incorrectly applied here according to my book.
- loveCZ She was very enterprising last semester.
- Ok She has been very enterprising in the last semester .
- This is clearly a past tense situation so present perfect is incorrectly applied here according to my book.
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3 Answers
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loveCZ
She was very enterprising last semester. Ok
She has been very enterprising in the last semester. This is clearly a past tense situation so present perfect is incorrectly applied here according to my book.
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loveCZThen, I wonder, what about this:The same principle applies. There's nothing weird about "last semester".
She was very enterprising last semester.
She has been very enterprising in the last semester.
CJ
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I can see your point, but I have some reservations.
"In the last semester" means a point within the last semester which is much different with "last semester". Since the second one actually indicates the whole semester, all the days within it. That said, the first one cannot be seen as a specific time but the second one.
Please correct me if I am wrong, folks.
"In the last semester" means a point within the last semester which is much different with "last semester". Since the second one actually indicates the whole semester, all the days within it. That said, the first one cannot be seen as a specific time but the second one.
Please correct me if I am wrong, folks.
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