past or present perfect?

Question

Is it correct if i say"since childhood i was studious" or i have to say"since childhood i have been studious"

Laborious · Accepted Answer

Hi,

goldfishIs it correct if i say"since childhood i was studious" or i have to say"since childhood i have been studious"

You can say 'since childhood I have been studious' if you are still studious. But if you are no longer studious and want to describe a past situation that started/began from your childhood and continued up to another point in the past, you should use past perfect tense.

Take a look at the following sentences, please:

- I have been studious since childhood. [The situation of your being studious (which began/started from your childhood) is still continuing or still exists, i.e., you are STILL studious.]

- I had been studious since childhood until I finished my college. [The situation of your being studious (which began from your childhood) is no longer continuing. It started from your childhood and finished around the time when you finished your college. You are NO LONGER studious.

______

Just a learner.

Goldfish · Answer

oh thank you very much ,your answer was totally exhaustive.

Grammarfreak · Answer

goldfish Is it correct if i say "since childhood i was studious" or i have to say"since childhood i have been studious"

The correct construction is: [have + past participle] + [since], e.g. I have been chubby since kindergarten. Neither of your version sounded natural at all. However, the latter version is grammatically correct.

past or present perfect?

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