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Ivanhr Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Past perfect ambiguity
Hi,
Q: Have you ever lived in the UK?
A: Yes, I've lived in the UK for 3 months.
Is this answer acceptable?
I mean , if you moved to the UK 3 months ago then it would be OK but it seems that you cannot say this to refer to an earlier stay. Right?
Q: Have you ever lived in the UK?
A: Yes, I've lived in the UK for 3 months.
Is this answer acceptable?
I mean , if you moved to the UK 3 months ago then it would be OK but it seems that you cannot say this to refer to an earlier stay. Right?
Top answer
Hi, I think you mean 'Present Perfect', not 'Past Perfect'. Q: Have you ever lived in the UK? A: Yes, I've lived in the UK for 3 months.
- Hi, I think you mean 'Present Perfect', not 'Past Perfect'.
- Q: Have you ever lived in the UK?
- A: Yes, I've lived in the UK for 3 months.
- I'll assume this conversation occurs outside the UK.
- Is this answer acceptable?
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8 Answers
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Hi,
I think you mean 'Present Perfect', not 'Past Perfect'.
Q: Have you ever lived in the UK?
A: Yes, I've lived in the UK for 3 months.
I'll assume this conversation occurs outside the UK.
Is this answer acceptable?
I mean , if you moved to the UK 3 months ago then it wou
I think you mean 'Present Perfect', not 'Past Perfect'.
Q: Have you ever lived in the UK?
A: Yes, I've lived in the UK for 3 months.
I'll assume this conversation occurs outside the UK.
Is this answer acceptable?
I mean , if you moved to the UK 3 months ago then it wou
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Thank you, Clive
A person from the UK said that he thought it was incorrect to use the present perfect in the answer because of this ambiguity. That is, if you lived there at an earlier time.
A person from the UK said that he thought it was incorrect to use the present perfect in the answer because of this ambiguity. That is, if you lived there at an earlier time.
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You need to remember that most conversations take place in a real-life context.
It's possible that a context for this would work.
A: You just don't know what it's like to live abroad
B: Sure I do.
A: Yeah, right. You wouldn't be able to make it two weeks away from your hometown.
B: Actually, I've lived in the UK for three months, in Colombia for six months, a
It's possible that a context for this would work.
A: You just don't know what it's like to live abroad
B: Sure I do.
A: Yeah, right. You wouldn't be able to make it two weeks away from your hometown.
B: Actually, I've lived in the UK for three months, in Colombia for six months, a
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If the stay was in the past, I prefer "Yes, I lived in the UK for three months".
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Grammar GeekYou need to remember that most conversations take place in a real-life context.
It's possible that a context for this would work.
A: You just don't know what it's like to live abroad
B: Sure I do.
A: Yeah, right. You wouldn't be able to make it two weeks away from your hometown.
B: Actually, I've lived in t
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IvanhrThis is how I digest this question.
Q: Have you ever lived in the UK?
A: Yes, I've lived in the UK for 3 months.
If somebody asked me: "Have you ever been to Australia?". I would take his question as have I had the pleasure to visit Australia at anytime in my life up to the point of the question.
With this
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If I had lived there (and stopped living there) before I was asked the question, I'd use simple past.
Yes, I lived there for three months.
If I lived there as I was asked that question (by someone who clearly doesn't know me very well), I'd say "I've been living there for three months" or "I'm living there now and have been for three months."
Yes, I lived there for three months.
If I lived there as I was asked that question (by someone who clearly doesn't know me very well), I'd say "I've been living there for three months" or "I'm living there now and have been for three months."
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In conclusion, it seems that simple past is better in this case but present perfect is not impossible.
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