"a long time" or "long time"

Hi,

Have not seen you for very long time.

or

Have not seen you for a very long time

what one is correct? any difference? You need to say 'a very long time'.

You also need a subject in both cases, eg the pronoun 'I'.

Have not seen you for very long time. No.

or

I have Have not seen you for a very long time. OK, as corrected.


CJ

Thank you.

There should be "a" before a period of time, right?

Hi,

Yes,

Think of it this way. There should be a definite or indefinite article (a/the) before a singular noun that refers to something you can count.

Clive

Haven't seen you for a long time

I haven't seen you for a long time.

Yoong LiatI haven't seen you for a long time.

"I" not needed in an informal context:

Yes, it's me and I'm in love again,
Had no loving since you know when...

Did you see Clive's reply above? This is what he said, "You also need a subject in both cases, eg the pronoun 'I' ". I agree with him.

Hi,

It's true that correct grammar requires a subject here.

However, it's also true that we often speak informally in a truncated kind of way.

eg Haven't seen you for a long time.

eg Didn't know that!

eg Didn't see you in class yesterday.

I would be surprised if speakers of other languages did not also take such shortcuts