hsiaoyunh  +  609401 Wed, 10 Dec 08 06:22 AM Is this the first time that you__ Beijing ? A. have visited B.visited C. had visited  I don't know if I should choose A or B. Also, is there any possibility that we can choose C? hsiaoyunh Joined on Thu, Sep 25 2008 New Member 46 Tenses, Present Tenses, Past Perfect, Present Perfect, Past Tenses, Countries, China

	Ratiatum  +  609417 Wed, 10 Dec 08 07:59 AM A. "Is this the first time that you have visited Beijing?" is the best option.  Remember that the Present Perfect is a present tense, and agrees with the present simple "is" in the question. B.  "Is this the first time that you visited Beijing?" is unusual.  A better sentence would be "Was this the first time that you visited Beijing?" C. "Is this the first time that you had visited Beijing" is impossible.  A better sentence would be "Was that the first time that you had visited Beijing?" Ratiatum Joined on Tue, Dec 9 2008 New Member 24 Tenses, Present Tenses, Past Perfect, Present Perfect, Past Tenses, Past Simple, Present Simple, Sentences, Countries, China

	hsiaoyunh  +  609520 Wed, 10 Dec 08 02:51 PM Thank you very much!  I still have some questions. Could somebody help me out?  1. His grandpa _______ for ten years.　(A)   has died　(B) was dead　(C) has been died　(D) has been dead I would choose A, B, and D. Do they have different meanings? 2. I __ him for a long time. 　(A) didn’t see　(B) don’t see　(C) haven’t seen　(D) wasn’t seeing  How about A, B, and C? Thanks in advance.  hsiaoyunh

	Ratiatum  +  609681 Wed, 10 Dec 08 09:52 PM 1.  Only (D) is possible: His grandpa has been dead for ten years. (A) is impossible because we cannot use present perfect with a specific time reference. (B) is gramatically possible but makes no sense unless after 10 years the grandfather was raised from the dead! (C) is impossible: "has been" + past participle is a passive structure which only works with a transitive verb ("die" is intransitive and can never be used passively) 2. (A), (C) and (D) are all possible. (A) is standard in American English (C) is standard in British English and means the same thing. (D) has a different meaning.  "To be seeing someone" generally means to have a romantic relationship with the person.  This sentence might indicate that they had had a relationship which was broken off, and for a long time they were no longer together. Ratiatum American English, Present Tenses, Past Perfect, British English, Present Perfect, Present Simple, Passive Sentences, Relationships, Sentences, References, Business, Career, United States, Great Britain, American

	hsiaoyunh  +  609732 Thu, 11 Dec 08 01:48 AM Can you explain more about answer (B) His grandpa was dead for ten years. I'm still confused about it.  hsiaoyunh

	hsiaoyunh  +  609733 Thu, 11 Dec 08 01:48 AM Can you explain more about answer (B) His grandpa was dead for ten years. I'm still confused about it. Thank you. Also, so we can use both the past tense and the present perfect with the "for a period of time" without any differernce? Then the following question: How long ________ English? For 3 years.   (A) do you study  (B) did you study  (C) are you studying  (D) have you studied I think the answer is D. But according to the above logic, should we choose B as well? hsiaoyunh Tenses, Present Tenses, Present Perfect, Past Tenses, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain

	Grammar Geek  +  609738 Thu, 11 Dec 08 02:16 AM Even in American English, "I didn't see him for ten years" and "I haven't seen him for ten years" have different meanings. With the first, after a 10-year period, I saw him again. My high school boyfriend joined the Navy, and I didn't see him for ten years, and then, on the eve of my wedding, he showed up and I realized I still loved him. With the second, the period of time since the last time I saw him is 10 years. I haven't seen him since a point 10 years ago.   How long did you study English? For 3 years. You studied for a 3-year period and then stopped. How long have you studied English? For 3 years. Your study began 3 years ago an continues to this day. What's not listed and what would be most common: How long have you been studying English?   Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,683 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random! American English, Weddings, Marriage, Relationships, Countries, United States, United Kingdom, Great Britain, American, Boyfriends, Ceremonies

	hsiaoyunh  +  609748 Thu, 11 Dec 08 02:58 AM How about "already" and "yet"? 1. I haven't eaten dinner yet. 2. I didn't eat dinner yet. Do the above sentences have the exact same meaning? hsiaoyunh Sentences

	Grammar Geek  +  609762 Thu, 11 Dec 08 03:49 AM  I am told that others in the US do use #2 with the same meaning of #1. Grammar Geek