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ESL forum > Ask for help > one question    

one question



windflora
Turkey

one question
 
"I spent three days there"......... Do i ask "three days" with how long? Just like "how lond did you spend there?"

27 Apr 2010      





renko6
Poland

In my opinion it sounds better :

How many days did your spend there ? - the answer :I spent there three days

but you can use How long ? in this kind of the question

How long were you there ? - the answer : I was there three days.

Many hugs,
Renia Wink

27 Apr 2010     



miss-o
Portugal

How long did you spend there?- I think that this question is correct too.
Have a nice day.

27 Apr 2010     



Pelletrine
France

I think you �spend � something (money or time: uncountable) "How long time did you spend there?"
 
Otherwise I would say "How many days did you spend there?"
 
 I might very well be wrong, but it doesn �t sound quite right to my ears when you ask
"How long _ did you spend there?"
 
You could also say: "How long did you stay ?"
 
But let �s see what a native tongue would say :o))
Hugs!

27 Apr 2010     



dawnmain
United Kingdom

How long did you spend there is perfectly correct.
 
regards
a native speaker

27 Apr 2010     



yanogator
United States

Yes, dawnmain is correct. Also "how long time" is incorrect.
 
To extend the discussion, if you know that the stay was less than two weeks, it would also be natural to ask, "How many days did you spend there?" However, if you don �t know anything about the length of time (maybe days, weeks months or even years), the best question is "How long did you spend there?", and this is correct (as dawnmain said) in either case.
 
Bruce

27 Apr 2010     



patty39
Brazil

I �m sorry, but I only know the use of "how long" (meaning time) with Present Perfect, like this: "how long have you been here/there/at some specific place/to some specific country... etc.
 
Am I wrong?
 
Natives speakers or/and other teachers, please, could you enlighten me?
 
Tks!
 
Patricia

28 Apr 2010     



Apodo
Australia

How long did you spend there? I spent three days there.  ( Word order in a previous answer was incorrect)
How long will you be staying?
How long did it take you to do your homework?
How long was he in hospital?
I don �t know how long it will be before she comes back.
How long is your lunch break?
I had a long lunch break today. I had to go to the Post Office.
I waited in the queue for a long time. How long? About 20 minutes.
 
Do these examples answer your question patty39?

28 Apr 2010     



yanogator
United States

So, Apodo �s excellent examples show that "how long" refers to any period of time of a certain (unknown) length, no matter when it was, is or will be.
 
Bruce

28 Apr 2010     



windflora
Turkey

Thanks for all ;)

1 May 2010