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Diamondrg Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

while

We've had a pretty bad time while you were away. In fact, we very nearly split up this time.(Collins Advanced Dictionary)

Is this sentence correct? I want to attract your attention especially to the underlined parts.
  

Top answer

I'm not going to say it's incorrect, but I'm left doubting whether the "bad time" is over. You left. Sometimes after you left, the bad time started.

— BarbaraPA

  • I'm not going to say it's incorrect, but I'm left doubting whether the "bad time" is over.
  • You left.
  • Sometimes after you left, the bad time started.
  • Now you're back, and the bad time is still going on.
  • But somehow, the decision to NOT split up is already made?
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4 Answers
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I'm not going to say it's incorrect, but I'm left doubting whether the "bad time" is over.

You left. Sometimes after you left, the bad time started. Now you're back, and the bad time is still going on. But somehow, the decision to NOT split up is already made? That part is what confuses me. We realize the bad time is possibly going to continue, but we won't split up... for now?
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DiamondrgWe've had a pretty bad time while you were away.
It's not uncommon to hear this sort of thing, but it contains an anomalous tense sequence, which you are already aware of, it seems.
CJ
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Hi, Grammar Geek.

If it were the simple past instead of the present perfect, you would not doubt whether the bad time is over, but as it is the present perfect, you can't be sure, right? I mean the present perfect does not ncecessarily indicate that the condition still holds. Is that right?
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Usually it does indicate that the condition still holds, or that there's a connection or relevance to the present.
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