past simple vs Present Perfect Continuous? new concept english 3.4

Question

Before returning home at night, he took a shower and changed back into his suit. Alf did this for over two years and his fellow dustmen kept his secret.

Why past simple is used here as "Alf did his for over two years", is it better to use present perfect continuous as "Alf has been doing this for over two years"?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

john liaoWhy past simple is used here as "Alf did his for over two years", is it better to use present perfect continuous as "Alf has been doing this for over two years"?

There is no call for the continuous: the emphasis is on the fact, not the duration of the activity.

CalifJim · Answer

john liaois it better to use present perfect continuous as "Alf has been doing this for over two years"?

Heavens, no! It's a story in the past, and your proposed sentence says the action has continued up to the present moment that you are reading the story, which is temporally completely outside the bounds of the story.

You could use "had been doing this for over two years", but the author doesn't want to focus on the action as something that was on-going, but rather as a series of actions which was finished at the end of the two years.

CJ

John liao · Answer

You mean present perfect continuous is also right here, is it determined by the writer's intention?

CalifJim · Answer

john liaoYou mean present perfect continuous is also right here

No. You need to review the tenses so that you recognize them more easily.

had been -ing is the past perfect continuous, and that's the alternative that the writer might have chosen.

CJ

past simple vs Present Perfect Continuous? new concept english 3.4

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