Past perfect with the phrase "for the past two months"

Question

Hi. Is this correct? Could we use a past perfect tense with the phrases like "for the past two months." I think it is not correct to use past perfect with the phrase "for the last two months."

She had done her work for the past two months, but she stopped doing it after that.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

It's okay by me, but it sounds better when the time marker precedes the past perfect.

Edit. Well, I have to take that back. It doesn't work, because "the past two months" references the present. "After that" could not be in the past. (I was confused because I took your last sentence as a submission, rather than as an explanation.)

"The last two months" could work with some modifications:

They had to let her go in May, although she had performed well for the last two months. Hmmm.

CalifJim · Answer

I don't sense that "for the past two months" must necessarily refer to the two months preceding the present moment, so the sentence seems fine to my ear. Change "past" to "previous" if it bothers you.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered!

Anonymous · Answer

Hi. Thank you, CalifJim and Avangi. Can you comment on my comment answer the question?

Joe was tired because/since he 1) was working 2) had been working hard.

In regard to the numbered tenses, I think "was working" doesn't necessarily address the time line involved but "had been working" does and it does by relating to the present.

Joe was especially tired because/since he 1) was working 2) had been working hard for the past/last/previous two months that had double the daily work load of what he had to do before/

before that time.

As to the above sentence, except for the things I said previously about the numbered tense parts 1 and 2, would you say all the parts (words) noted with underlining are possible for a correct sentence?

Thank you for your anticipated help.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI think "was working" doesn't necessarily address the time line involved but "had been working" does

It's not a matter of "addressing a time line". The use of one tense or another creates the time line.

If he was tired because he was working, I get the message that the working was in progress when he began to feel tired, and that he continued to work in a tired state.

If he was tired because he had been working, I get the message that the working had stopped (either recently or quite a while ago), but that the tired state continued.

AnonymousJoe was especially tired because/since he 1) was working 2) had been working hard for the past/last/previous two months that had double the daily work load of what he had to do before/

before that time.

As to the above sentence, ..., would you say all the parts (words) noted with underlining are possible for a correct sentence?

1. The sentence itself is exceedingly awkward. I don't think anyone would write it, and I doubt even more that anyone would say it.
2. The underlined parts seem OK to me. Nevertheless, if I said it, I would use what he had had to do before then at the end.

CJ

Past perfect with the phrase "for the past two months"

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