Submitted by Bsmart on 22 April, 2013 - 23:10. Thailand
Thank you very much for fantastic lesson, it's so useful in everyday life. Specially when someone lend you some money. Can you lend me fifty quid? Fifty quid eh? Don't worry you will get it one day...yes I like that!
Submitted by onev87 on 28 July, 2012 - 09:43. Indonesia
Hello, The Learn English Team.
This website is great, helps me a lot in learning English. Thank you so much.
I have a question, when Rob asked Ashlie " how was your shopping trip?" (is it correct?), Ashlie answered " Shopping with Steven is a nightmare". i get a bit confuse about why she said "is" not "was" ?
Thanks, Nevy
Submitted by yoursources on 31 May, 2012 - 03:02. Hong Kong
Hello, Rob. I have some trouble with the present perfect tense and would appreciate your help.
I know that when this tense is used with a duration adverbial, the action or state of the verb continues up to the present. So in:
(1) Tom has read this book since 2009.
(2) Tom has lived in London for five years.
I can confidently say that Tom is still reading the book and is still living in London too.
But problem arises when there are no such duration adverbials. While I am still confident that in:
(3) Tom has read this book.
Tom has finished reading the book, I am less sure about his present living place in:
(4) Tom has lived in London.
It seems we could say that Tom is still living in London, otherwise we would not allow the tag “and he is still living there” to be added without appearing the least illogical. This continuation interpretation is even more likely when a guest says to the host before leaving a party:
(5) Thank you so much. You’ve been so kind to me. I’ve had such a wonderful time.
Isn’t it more reasonable, and polite too, to assume that neither the host’s kindness nor the guest’s wonderful time has ended at the time of speaking?
So what is the conclusion? Please give me some guidelines. Thanks a lot.
Submitted by Stephen Jones on 10 June, 2012 - 15:20. United Kingdom (Great Britain)
Hello yoursources,
Rob can't answer your questions, but I'll do my best!
In (1), we would more commonly use Tom has been reading this book since 2009. 'Tom has read this book since 2009' sounds very strange in English, as if he read the same book again and again. Using the present perfect continuous (has been reading), as opposed to the present perfect (has read) shows the difference between the Tom having finished the book or not.
In (4), as you say, without the time adverbial things are less clear. Usually, this would mean that Tom is living somewhere else now. For example, I would say I've lived in the USA, Spain and China (but now I'm living elsewhere). This is similar to what we try to express when we say I've been to Italy (but I came back and am now somewhere else).
And, finally, in (5), it sounds very much like the end of a party, and the guest is leaving - hence the use of the present perfect to refer to something very recently finished, the results of which are still visible (e.g. the happiness of the guest).
Try to think of grammar not as something which is decided by external circumstances (e.g. the current status of a situation), but instead is chosen by the speaker to communicate a specific message.
Comments
Thank you very much for fantastic lesson, it's so useful in everyday life. Specially when someone lend you some money. Can you lend me fifty quid? Fifty quid eh? Don't worry you will get it one day...yes I like that!
quid means £ I never heard! Thank you.
Its really amazing video tutorial.
Please keep post forever.
These videos are very educational and useful for me. Thanks for this job.
I love this site. I am very fond of your videos and I would be more than grateful if we could download the tasks to print on paper!
Hello, The Learn English Team.
This website is great, helps me a lot in learning English. Thank you so much.
I have a question, when Rob asked Ashlie " how was your shopping trip?" (is it correct?), Ashlie answered " Shopping with Steven is a nightmare". i get a bit confuse about why she said "is" not "was" ?
Thanks, Nevy
Hello, Rob. I have some trouble with the present perfect tense and would appreciate your help.
I know that when this tense is used with a duration adverbial, the action or state of the verb continues up to the present. So in:
(1) Tom has read this book since 2009.
(2) Tom has lived in London for five years.
I can confidently say that Tom is still reading the book and is still living in London too.
But problem arises when there are no such duration adverbials. While I am still confident that in:
(3) Tom has read this book.
Tom has finished reading the book, I am less sure about his present living place in:
(4) Tom has lived in London.
It seems we could say that Tom is still living in London, otherwise we would not allow the tag “and he is still living there” to be added without appearing the least illogical. This continuation interpretation is even more likely when a guest says to the host before leaving a party:
(5) Thank you so much. You’ve been so kind to me. I’ve had such a wonderful time.
Isn’t it more reasonable, and polite too, to assume that neither the host’s kindness nor the guest’s wonderful time has ended at the time of speaking?
So what is the conclusion? Please give me some guidelines. Thanks a lot.
team
Hello yoursources,
Rob can't answer your questions, but I'll do my best!
In (1), we would more commonly use Tom has been reading this book since 2009. 'Tom has read this book since 2009' sounds very strange in English, as if he read the same book again and again. Using the present perfect continuous (has been reading), as opposed to the present perfect (has read) shows the difference between the Tom having finished the book or not.
In (4), as you say, without the time adverbial things are less clear. Usually, this would mean that Tom is living somewhere else now. For example, I would say I've lived in the USA, Spain and China (but now I'm living elsewhere). This is similar to what we try to express when we say I've been to Italy (but I came back and am now somewhere else).
And, finally, in (5), it sounds very much like the end of a party, and the guest is leaving - hence the use of the present perfect to refer to something very recently finished, the results of which are still visible (e.g. the happiness of the guest).
Try to think of grammar not as something which is decided by external circumstances (e.g. the current status of a situation), but instead is chosen by the speaker to communicate a specific message.
Regards,
Stephen Jones
The LearnEnglish Team
These are very useful lessons and l'm looking forward news. When we'll see them?
team
Hello alimente!
We hope to have more episodes ready soon. Keep watching this space – and I'm glad you find the lessons useful!
Best wishes
Jeremy Bee
The Learn English Team