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Hanuman_2000 Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Were

Hello,

1. She was writing that play for three years.

Here timed period has been used with the past progressive, which I could not understand.

Mostly time adverbials denoting the time period are not used in the progressive tenses.

Could anyone help me in clearing my doubts?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

There is no general prohibition on using "for + time period" (or, indeed, other time-period adverbials) with the past progressive. We were chatting for hours. She was living there for a long time.

— GPY

  • There is no general prohibition on using "for + time period" (or, indeed, other time-period adverbials) with the past progressive.
  • We were chatting for hours.
  • She was living there for a long time.
  • He was complaining all day.
  • etc.
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5 Answers
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There is no general prohibition on using "for + time period" (or, indeed, other time-period adverbials) with the past progressive.

We were chatting for hours.
She was living there for a long time.
He was complaining all day.
etc.

The choice between past tense and past progressive, and whether it makes much difference to meaning, seems verb-depende
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hanuman_20001. She was writing that play for three years.Here timed period has been used with the past progressive, which I could not understand.
Yes, that sentence does seem anomalous — to my ear, anyway. I'd say "She worked on that play for three years".
hanuman_2000Mostly time adverbials denoting the time period are not used in the
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CalifJimYes, that sentence does seem anomalous — to my ear, anyway.
Hmm, I am surprised by that.
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I would be interested to hear other forum members' opinions on the acceptability of "She was writing that play for three years" .
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