Vincent Teo  +  524192 Sat, 07 Jun 08 03:39 PM  Can I say, (a) Susan and Suzana are good neighbours. They have / had been good friends since they were ten years old.   (b)  They have / had been a good friend since ten years old.  Vincent Teo Joined on Sat, Mar 31 2007 Veteran Member 5,660

	Doll  +  524197 Sat, 07 Jun 08 03:52 PM You say Suzan and Suzanna ARE friends which means that this has something to do with the present time.So, use the present perfect tense in both cases. Doll Joined on Sat, Mar 10 2007 Senior Member 2,813 Tenses, Present Perfect

	Philip  +  524199 Sat, 07 Jun 08 03:54 PM (a) have (b) Either could be correct, depending on what else occurs in the sentence.  However, it should be "since ten years of age" or as you have it in (a). Philip Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005 Veteran Member 8,738 At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen

	tamguatlay  +  524232 Sat, 07 Jun 08 05:54 PM Vincent Teo “ Can I say, (a) Susan and Suzana are good neighbours. They have / had been good friends since they were ten years old.   (b)  They have / had been a good friend since ten years old.  ” (b) Philip wrote: Either could be correct, depending on what else occurs in the sentence.  However, it should be "since ten years of age" or as you have it in (a). (a) Susan and Suzana are good neighbours. They have been good friends since they were ten years old.  ( Isn't this correct? Why should it be 'since ten years of age'? ) Many thanks. tamguatlay Joined on Mon, Apr 28 2008 Junior Member 91