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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > VERB TENSES
VERB TENSES
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aleia
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VERB TENSES
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Hello everyone! I need your help regarding the use of the correct verb tense. I would use the following tenses here: 1. “I ______have been waiting_______ (wait) for you all morning! What _______have you been doing_____ (you / do)?” “Sorry! I __________have been learning_____ (learn) how to cook tofu with my friend. It’s weird but tasty!” MY QUESTION IS: would it also be acceptable to say: 1. “I _____have been waiting_____ (wait) for you all morning! What _____were you doing______ (you / do)?” “Sorry! I _______was learning______ (learn) how to cook tofu with my friend. It’s weird but tasty!” I appreciate your help! Thanks everybody Al |
28 Nov 2015
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gharbi2009
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If the speaker is still in the same period, ie, the morning , have been waiting - have you been doing - have been learning. But if the speaker is in a different period of the day past perfect simple or progressive should be used with : had been waiting/ had waited - were you doing - was learning. |
28 Nov 2015
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yanogator
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Hey, Al, Although the present perfect progressive is grammatically correct in all three spaces, your alternative is better and more natural sounding, because the person stopped the lesson sometime before the conversation began. To use the present perfect progressive in the second and third spaces implies that the question and answer are about an ongoing activity, rather than just the reason for the delay. Bruce |
28 Nov 2015
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