Two grammar mistakes: (since/as of/starting) and combination of (under renovation) and (since/as of/starting)

Question

I have made up the sentences below.(1) The supermarket has been under renovation since two months ago.(2) The supermarket has been under renovation as of two months ago.(3) The supermarket has been under renovation starting two months ago.My non-native English speaking friends think there are two mistakes. They think the combination of "under renovation" and "... ago" sounds odd. The second mistake they have found is that it's ungrammatical to say "since/as of/starting.... ago".Do you agree with my friends on the two mistakes? Thank you.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

ansonguyit's ungrammatical to say "since/as of/starting.... ago"

That's right. Those are not good in a sentence in the present perfect tense. "since ... ago" sounds especially bad, at least to my ear.

For all three of your sentences, you need "has been under renovation for two months".

With the present perfect (continuous or not), it's "for" plus a period of time. Or it's "since" plus a point in time. (There is no "ago" in either case.)

They've lived here for 10 years.
They've lived here since 2010.

Paul has been working in the garden for two hours.
Paul has been working in the garden since 2 o'clock.

If you want "ago", you are normally going to use the simple past. (There is no "for" or "since" in this case.)

They vacationed in Hawaii three years ago.
Tom saw Lois at the concert a week ago.
We roasted a turkey for dinner several days ago.

CJ

Two grammar mistakes: (since/as of/starting) and combination of (under renovation) and (since/as of/starting)

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