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HiIs it OK to say so?It's gonna be six years this year since I've been doing boxing.Why, sometimes, do we put the present perfect tense before the word "since" and sometimes after it?thanks

Philip · Accepted Answer

NewguestHi

Is it OK to say so?

It's gonna be six years this year since I've been doing boxing.

Why, sometimes, do we put the present perfect tense before the word "since" and sometimes after it?

thanks

I have been boxing for six years. [still boxing]

It has been six years since I [last] boxed. [no longer boxing]

Newguest · Answer

Hi

Can I say: This year I've been boxing for 6 years. Is it not correct to use "doing boxing"?

Goodman · Answer

NewguestHi

Can I say: This year I've been boxing for 6 years. Is it not correct to use "doing boxing"?

It sounds stiff! I would say "this is my 6th year since I started boxing", or as suggested by Phillip "I have been boxing for 6 years".

Newguest · Answer

OK. Thanks.

Kooyeen · Answer

Hi,

NewguestIs it OK to say so?

It's gonna be six years this year since I've been doing boxing.

Nope... I was told you can't use it that way. I'll give you some examples:

It's been three years since I bought this car.<-- Past simple for a point in time: I bought
It's been a week since I last saw Amanda.<-- Past simple for a point in time: the last time I saw her
It's been a week since I've seen Amanda. <-- Present perfect for a habitual action: I've seen her
You can use the present perfect in those structures when you are not referring to a specific occasion in the past, but you are considering an kind of "habitual" event.
I often see Amanda, but I haven't seen her lately. I think it's been a week since I've seen her.<-- Ok
I still remember the day I bought this car. I think it's been ten years since I've bought it.<-- No. Specific event, so "since I bought it".
It's been a year since I've been boxing.<-- Nope. Turn it to either I've been boxing for a year or, using the past simple for a specific event, It's been a year since I started boxing.

And look at these examples where you can use perfect tenses:
I've been having nightmares since I've been sleeping in this room. I'm afaid it's cursed.
I've cheated on him so many times since he's been gone, that I actually can't remember all the guys I slept with.

This is all I know. Hopefully some native speaker will come across this and correct me if I wrote nonsense.

Newguest · Answer

KooyeenHi,
Newguest
Is it OK to say so?

It's gonna be six years this year since I've been doing boxing.

Nope... I was told you can't use it that way. I'll give you some examples:

It's been three years since I bought this car.<-- Past simple for a point in time: I bought
It's been a week since I last saw Amanda.<-- Past simple for a point in time: the last time I saw her
It's been a week since I've seen Amanda. <-- Present perfect for a habitual action: I've seen her
You can use the present perfect in those structures when you are not referring to a specific occasion in the past, but you are considering an kind of "habitual" event.
I often see Amanda, but I haven't seen her lately. I think it's been a week since I've seen her.<-- Ok
I still remember the day I bought this car. I think it's been ten years since I've bought it.<-- No. Specific event, so "since I bought it".
It's been a year since I've been boxing.<-- Nope. Turn it to either I've been boxing for a year or, using the past simple for a specific event, It's been a year since I started boxing.

And look at these examples where you can use perfect tenses:
I've been having nightmares since I've been sleeping in this room. I'm afaid it's cursed.
I've cheated on him so many times since he's been gone, that I actually can't remember all the guys I slept with.

This is all I know. Hopefully some native speaker will come across this and correct me if I wrote nonsense.

Hi

So, in your opinion, the sentence: It's been a year since I've been boxing refers to a specific point in time, and that's why one has to use the past simple in the second part of the sentence?

By the way, is there any difference in meaning between: I've been boxing for a year and I've been doing boxing for a year?

take care

Kooyeen · Answer

NewguestSo, in your opinion, the sentence: It's been a year since I've been boxing refers to a specific point in time, and that's why one has to use the past simple in the second part of the sentence?

Hi,
no, it's just that I was told that after "It's been a year since..." you need to put something related to an event in the past (ex: I bought it, I've seen her, I last saw her, I moved to London...), and not something related to a continuous event or action that has been going on up to now (like "I've been boxing").
But you know what? On second thought, I think the sentence It's been a year since I've been boxing is ok if you interpret it as It's been a year since I was last boxing, and so it has a different meaning than the one you wanted. In this case, it would mean "I haven't boxed in a year. Last time a was boxing was last year."

But I really can't be 100% sure. You need to wait for a native, and if they don't come, call them!

I don't know about "doing boxing", but I tried searching Google anyway, and it seems that there are several native speakers who say it. However, I can't tell how common or natural it is... I have no idea

Ant_222 · Answer

Kooyeen, what do you think of these:

It has been a year since I have quit boxing — So I am not a boxer now.

"I has been a year since I quit boxing" — this tells nothing about the present stat of things, the author may have resumed his occupation.

Philip · Answer

Ant_222Kooyeen, what do you think of these: It has been a year since I have quit boxing — So I am not a boxer now. "I has been a year since I quit boxing" — this tells nothing about the present stat of things, the author may have resumed his occupation.

The highlighted sentence [ beginning with 'it' is good, and may include the possibility of his return to boxing. I wouldn't use the present perfect with this meaning.

In AmEng, we box rather than do boxing.

Newguest · Answer

Thanks. So the phrase "do boxing" or something else connected with sports is rather British English.

take care

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