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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Present perfect continuous with or without 'since' or 'for'
Is it always necessary to specify the time expression while using Present perfect continuous tense?
Context1] Suppose I am waiting for my friend outside office. Someone ask me "Why are you standing here?"
(I want to answer with the stress on length continuity of action) I say "I have been waiting for my colleagues"
Is it necessary here to specify the time phrase 'since' or 'for'?
Context 2] --- Some one has broken my window glasses. I doubt you.
--- How is it possible? I have been here with him. You can ask him. (Is it necessary here to specify time phrase?)
Context1] Suppose I am waiting for my friend outside office. Someone ask me "Why are you standing here?"
(I want to answer with the stress on length continuity of action) I say "I have been waiting for my colleagues"
Is it necessary here to specify the time phrase 'since' or 'for'?
Context 2] --- Some one has broken my window glasses. I doubt you.
--- How is it possible? I have been here with him. You can ask him. (Is it necessary here to specify time phrase?)
Top answer
Anonymous Suppose I am waiting for my friend outside an office. " (I want to answer with the stress on length continuity of action) I say "I have been waiting for my colleagues"Is it necessary here to specify the time phrase 'since' or 'for'? The best tense here is not present perfect continuous, but present continuous.
- Anonymous Suppose I am waiting for my friend outside an office.
- " (I want to answer with the stress on length continuity of action) I say "I have been waiting for my colleagues"Is it necessary here to specify the time phrase 'since' or 'for'?
- The best tense here is not present perfect continuous, but present continuous.
- A time phrase is not necessary.
- A: Why are you standing here?
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3 Answers
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AnonymousSuppose I am waiting for my friend outside an office. Someone asks me "Why are you standing here?" (I want to answer with the stress on length continuity of action) I say "I have been waiting for my colleagues"Is it necessary here to specify the time phrase 'since' or 'for'?The best tense here is not present perfect continuous, but pres
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Context 2] ---
Someone has broken my windows. I suspect you did it.
It is natural to include some time phrase in this conversation.
--- How is it possible? He's been with me all along. You can ask him.
-- The windows had already been broken before I came.
Someone has broken my windows. I suspect you did it.
It is natural to include some time phrase in this conversation.
--- How is it possible? He's been with me all along. You can ask him.
-- The windows had already been broken before I came.
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