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 #2 (permalink) Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:25 am (for) how long |
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Hi Sitifan
Some of your sentences would be more commonly used sorts of sentences than others, but I'd say they're all OK.
Personally, I don't see any absolute need to use the word 'for' in sentences 1 - 3.
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| #3 (permalink) Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:41 am (for) how long |
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Hi,
I agree that 'for' is redundant in the first three sentences but I think the wording in 1,2,4 and 5 is somewhat strange and convoluted. Why not simply say: When did you last see your parents?
Alan
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| #4 (permalink) Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:56 am (for) how long |
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H, Amy and Alan
Will this wording work: When have you last seen your parents? ?
Thanks ! |
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Lost_Soul
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| #5 (permalink) Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:01 am (for) how long |
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Hi,
As we are talking about a particular time when, I wouldn't use the present perfect.
Alan
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| #6 (permalink) Mon Aug 11, 2008 14:28 pm (for) how long |
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I agree that 2,3,4 + 5 would be the least likely constructions of the bunch, but I definitely cannot rule out the usage of the negative in those 'how long' questions.
| Alex wrote: |
| Will this wording work: When have you last seen your parents? ? |
Hi Alex
As another alternative, it would be possible to use the present perfect this way:
- How long has it been since you (last) saw your parents?
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| #7 (permalink) Mon Aug 11, 2008 15:03 pm (for) how long |
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| Amy wrote: |
| How long has it been since you (last) saw your parents? |
Hi, Amy
I remember asking a question about the grammar of this sentence: How long has it been since you've seen your son and you and Jamie said it is legitimate (no doubt about that ! :D ) http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic20058.html#65621
I just thought that this wording was ok (by extrapolating your explanation, because we don't know exactly "when"): When have you last seen your parents, but as I see it is a whole different scene here, because we added the word last |
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Lost_Soul
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| #8 (permalink) Mon Aug 11, 2008 15:19 pm (for) how long |
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Hi Alex
I remember that thread very well. :lol:
As I see it, the problem with the word 'when' in your sentence is that it clearly asks about a specific point in time in the past -- and that is not how the present perfect should be used.
On the other hand, asking 'how long' only asks about length of time. Asking 'how long' might refer to a fixed period of time in the finished past; it might refer to a period of time in the future; or it might refer to a period of time up to now (which means that the length of the period of time could possibly grow even longer).
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