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Kenta Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Which is better?

Hello.

I came across this question.

Q. Black people in South Africa ( suffer ) from apartheid for a long time.

I thought "had suffered" or "had been suffering" would be right because

"for a long time" means a width of time and needs the perfect tense.

But the answer is "suffered".

I'm confused about the usage.

I hope someone will explain it to me.

Thank you. kenta
  

Top answer

The simple past is fine for time periods that lie entirely in the past: "I suffered for a long time (but I'm not suffering any more)". For time periods that continue to the present, use the present perfect: "I have suffered for a long time (and I'm still suffering)". "had suffered" and "had been suffering" are both possible in your sentence, but are "more complicated" tenses, and the point in the past at which the suffering stopped needs to be somehow referenced in the surrounding context.

— Mr Wordy

  • The simple past is fine for time periods that lie entirely in the past: "I suffered for a long time (but I'm not suffering any more)".
  • For time periods that continue to the present, use the present perfect: "I have suffered for a long time (and I'm still suffering)".
  • "had suffered" and "had been suffering" are both possible in your sentence, but are "more complicated" tenses, and the point in the past at which the suffering stopped needs to be somehow referenced in the surrounding context.
  • This is to give the past perfect its "reference point".
  • For example: "Black people in South Africa had suffered / had been suffering from apartheid for a long time.
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2 Answers
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The simple past is fine for time periods that lie entirely in the past: "I suffered for a long time (but I'm not suffering any more)". For time periods that continue to the present, use the present perfect: "I have suffered for a long time (and I'm still suffering)".

"had suffered" and "had been suffering" are both possible in your sentence, but are "more complicated" tenses, and the poi
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Hi, Mr Wordy. Your explanation is very easy to understand.

Thank you very much.

kenta
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