Grammar?

AlpheccaStarsUse the present perfect. The simple past is for single events.It has rained in the north for the past few days.

Thanks a lot, AlpheccaStars.

A. But could you please tell why we can say the following? They are all past simple.

1. He played football for two hours.

2. He worked for ten days.

3. He lived here for three years.

B. Excuse me AlpheccaStars, can we use present perfect continuous in my OP as follows?

It has been raining in the north for the past few days.

Regards,

Joseph

teechrIt looks fine to me.

Thanks a lot, teechr.

Can we use present perfect continuous instead as follows?

It has been raining in the north for the past few days.

Regards,

Joseph

Joseph ACan we use present perfect continuous instead as follows?

I don't know what you mean by "instead". The present perfect continuous suggests it is still raining or that the effect of the rain is still relevant. Do you realize that? Do you understand the difference in terms of usage between those two tenses?

teechrI don't know what you mean by "instead".

Thanks a lot, teecher.

I mean " present perfect continuous instead of present perfect".

teechrDo you realize that?

Yes.

teechrDo you understand the difference in terms of usage between those two tenses?

Yes.

I'll explain the difference as follows:

1. It has rained for the past few days.

Means "I has rained for the past few days, but now it isn't raining, but the ground is wet"

2. It has been raining for the past few days.

Means "I has been raining continuously for the past few days and now, it is still raining".

3. I rained for the past few days.

Means "It rained for the past few days, and the raining is over".

I wanted to know if #2 is correct. Is it correct?

Regards,

Joseph

Joseph A

1. It has rained for the past few days.

Means "It has rained for the past few days, but now it isn't raining, but the ground is wet"

2. It has been raining for the past few days.

Means "It has been raining continuously for the past few days and now, it is still raining".

For me the meanings are not so distinct as that. I think the meaning you give for 1 is also possible for 2. As I read them, it doesn't matter to me whether it's raining or not when I say either of these, and it doesn't matter whether the rain was continuously coming down for the whole period or just sporadically, and it doesn't matter to me whether the ground is still wet. However, as raining is an activity, it sounds better to me in the present perfect continuous than in the present perfect (simple).

CJ

CalifJimFor me the meanings are not so distinct as that. I think the meaning you give for 1 is also possible for 2. As I read them, it doesn't matter to me whether it's raining or not when I say either of these, and it doesn't matter whether the rain was continuously coming down for the whole period or just sporadically, and it doesn't matter to me whether the ground is still wet. However, as raining is an activity, it sounds better to me in the present perfect continuous than in the present perfect (simple).