Present perfect: still working or not working?

Question

Hi. Please allow me to set up a scenario. There was a man who has worked for three companies, including one which he is working at now for the second year (two years being roughly how long he worked there so far). Let us say there are three companies in the town he lives in and the town's name (which is made-up) is "So-and-so." So, there are three companies, Company A, Company B and Company C, and the Company C is where he works at now. The duration of his employment for Companies A and B are two years and five years respectively.

At an speaking engagement, could he say this? What is the difference between 1 and 2? Could it be that no. 1 indicates he is working in the same town, whereas no. 2 indicates to the contrary, that is he left both companies some time ago (roughly two years ago.)?

I have been working at the Company C in your town, So-and-so town, roughly for the past two years. I have worked at the Company B and C in your town for 1) five years/ 2) the past/last five years.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,
Please allow me to set up a scenario. There was a man who has worked for three companies, including one which he is working at now for the second year (two years being roughly how long he worked there so far). Let us say there are three companies in the town he lives in and the town's name (which is made-up) is "So-and-so." So, there are three companies, Company A, Company B and Company C, and the Company C is where he works at now. The duration of his employment for Companies A and B are two years and five years respectively.

At an speaking engagement, could he say this? What is the difference between 1 and 2? Could it be that no. 1 indicates he is working in the same town, whereas no. 2 indicates to the contrary, that is he left both companies some time ago (roughly two years ago.)? I see no mention of 2 years in the second sentence below.

I have been working at the Company C in your town, So-and-so town, roughly for the past two years.
Sounds like he's still working for C.
The phrase 'your town, So and so town' is unnatural.
He'd more likely just say eg 'Toronto'.

''Your town' suggests it is not his town, ie he doesn't live there.
He'd been unlikely to say eg 'your town, Toronto' because the audience already knows the name of their town.

I have worked at the Company B and C in your town for 1) five years/ 2) the past/last five years.
Sounds odd, like he was working for B and C simultaneously. Because of this, the listener wil have trouble finding your meaning.
In both cases, the Present Perfect makes it sound like it is probably the 5 years ending in the present, and that he still works there. But it is not definite.

Finally, consider this. If he wants to refer to his employment at some company he no,longer works for, a very common way to say this is simply 'I worked for X for 2 years'

If you want to post again, please try to restate the sentences involved, as it gets confusing to start jumping back to look at previous posts.

Clive

Present perfect: still working or not working?

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