there is/has been

Question

I've put my house on sale for a month now. So far, there is/has been only one viewing.1. Are there any mistakes?2 Which choice is correct?Thanks.

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

I've put my house up for sale. It's been for sale for a month now, but so far, there has been only one viewing.

My house has been up for sale for a month now. So far, there has been only one viewing.

Your house is "for sale" or "up for sale" but not "on sale" (in the US).

Use there has been.

New2grammar · Answer

Thank you, GG. I see that there's a certain way you structure your sentences. You would prefer to describe the duration of the house on the market in a separate sentence:

Grammar GeekI've put my house up for sale. It's been for sale for a month now

On the other hand, the following combined the information into one sentence.

Grammar GeekMy house has been up for sale for a month now

Can I say:

Grammar GeekI've put my house up for sale for a month now

If not, why? This is confusing to me.

Kooyeen · Answer

New2grammarCan I say:
Grammar GeekI've put my house up for sale for a month now
If not, why? This is confusing to me.

I don't think so, because once you have put it up for sale, it's for sale. You don't keep putting it up for sale. Once you've done it, you just have to wait for someone who is interested.

I think it's the same reason why you don't usually say "I've been starting to learn English for a year", but you say "I started learning English a year ago" and "I've been learning English for a year now".

In other words, a house can be for sale for a month, but the act of putting it up for same just takes a short time.

New2grammar · Answer

Good point, Kooyen. So the duration 'for' is very sensitive to the meaning of the verb, am I right?

BarbaraPA · Answer

Yes. I put my house up for sale a month ago.

Or

My house has been up for sale for a month.

You cannot have the act of putting the house for sale last a month.

New2grammar · Answer

Grammar GeekYou cannot have the act of putting the house for sale last a month.

Thanks, GG and Kooyen. Unless I was moving at a snail's pace

CalifJim · Answer

New2grammarSo the duration 'for' is very sensitive to the meaning of the verb, am I right?

To a large extent the verb is important, yes. But, on the other hand, the total meaning of the situation in the real world, regardless of verb, is also important. For example, both of the following sentences use the verb "walk", but one makes sense with the "for" phrase; the other doesn't -- at least, not in the same way.

I walked in the park for an hour. One continuous activity.

I walked in the park for a month. Nonsense if interpreted as one continuous activity. Possible as repeated instances of an activity.
(Strangely, with the right reading, the following, though unusual, can be seen to make sense:
I walked in the park for an hour for a month. )
CJ

New2grammar · Answer

Right on, CJ. That's why I always make this type of mistake. In some contexts, I don't know if the meaning is correct in the real world because it requires native instincts.

CalifJim(Strangely, with the right reading, the following, though unusual, can be seen to make sense:

Huevos · Answer

Grammar GeekYes. I put my house up for sale a month ago.

Or

My house has been up for sale for a month.

You cannot have the act of putting the house for sale last a month.

GG's second sentence uses passive voice which means you lose "I" as the subject, i.e. the person who put the house up for sale. Right now I can't think of a good way around this. Maybe something like: "I have had my house up for sale a month now but have only had one viewer in all that time".

there is/has been

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