Present perfect or simple past with “for the last twenty minutes”?
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My teacher give me a question
You know she (stand)______ looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
and my job is complete this sentence with any verb tense provided it makes sense.
My teacher said it must be present perfect:
You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
But I think the simple past is correct:
You know she stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
It seems to me "for the last twenty minutes" is a completed time period, it can't include the present moment. So we can't use the present perfect.
Can you explain to me which is correct?
present-perfect time simple-past pp-vs-sp
edited Oct 27 at 18:20
RegDwigнt♦
82.4k31281376
asked Jun 1 '17 at 14:52
Napole
144
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 9 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
|
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up vote
0
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My teacher give me a question
You know she (stand)______ looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
and my job is complete this sentence with any verb tense provided it makes sense.
My teacher said it must be present perfect:
You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
But I think the simple past is correct:
You know she stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
It seems to me "for the last twenty minutes" is a completed time period, it can't include the present moment. So we can't use the present perfect.
Can you explain to me which is correct?
present-perfect time simple-past pp-vs-sp
edited Oct 27 at 18:20
RegDwigнt♦
82.4k31281376
asked Jun 1 '17 at 14:52
Napole
144
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 9 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
5
You can definitely use present perfect. And if she is still looking at the picture, it's definitely the tense I would expect. (But if she's not still looking at the picture, both simple past and present perfect work fine.)
– Peter Shor
Jun 1 '17 at 15:09
1
(1) "You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is not right. (2) "You know she has been standing [and] looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is better. (3) "last 20 minutes" may or may not include the present moment. (4) your completion is also valid. (5) some teachers do not like students who disagree, so better to go along, atleast to get the grades.
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:10
related : english.stackexchange.com/questions/311625/…
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:15
1
“You know what? She’s been standing there looking at picture for twenty minutes now!”
– tchrist♦
Jun 1 '17 at 15:17
Peter's and Prem's answers are at variance. This is possibly a US - non-US difference regarding idiomaticity. As a Brit, I prefer 'has been standing looking ...' though as it's clunky, I'd echo tchrist. With the 'that' that's still in his word-processor.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jun 1 '17 at 16:06
|
show 8 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
My teacher give me a question
You know she (stand)______ looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
and my job is complete this sentence with any verb tense provided it makes sense.
My teacher said it must be present perfect:
You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
But I think the simple past is correct:
You know she stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
It seems to me "for the last twenty minutes" is a completed time period, it can't include the present moment. So we can't use the present perfect.
Can you explain to me which is correct?
present-perfect time simple-past pp-vs-sp
edited Oct 27 at 18:20
RegDwigнt♦
82.4k31281376
asked Jun 1 '17 at 14:52
Napole
144
My teacher give me a question
You know she (stand)______ looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
and my job is complete this sentence with any verb tense provided it makes sense.
My teacher said it must be present perfect:
You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
But I think the simple past is correct:
You know she stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.
It seems to me "for the last twenty minutes" is a completed time period, it can't include the present moment. So we can't use the present perfect.
Can you explain to me which is correct?
present-perfect time simple-past pp-vs-sp
present-perfect time simple-past pp-vs-sp
edited Oct 27 at 18:20
RegDwigнt♦
82.4k31281376
asked Jun 1 '17 at 14:52
Napole
144
edited Oct 27 at 18:20
RegDwigнt♦
82.4k31281376
asked Jun 1 '17 at 14:52
Napole
144
edited Oct 27 at 18:20
RegDwigнt♦
82.4k31281376
edited Oct 27 at 18:20
RegDwigнt♦
82.4k31281376
edited Oct 27 at 18:20
RegDwigнt♦
82.4k31281376
82.4k31281376
asked Jun 1 '17 at 14:52
Napole
144
asked Jun 1 '17 at 14:52
Napole
144
asked Jun 1 '17 at 14:52
Napole
144
144
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 9 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 9 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
5
You can definitely use present perfect. And if she is still looking at the picture, it's definitely the tense I would expect. (But if she's not still looking at the picture, both simple past and present perfect work fine.)
– Peter Shor
Jun 1 '17 at 15:09
1
(1) "You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is not right. (2) "You know she has been standing [and] looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is better. (3) "last 20 minutes" may or may not include the present moment. (4) your completion is also valid. (5) some teachers do not like students who disagree, so better to go along, atleast to get the grades.
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:10
related : english.stackexchange.com/questions/311625/…
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:15
1
“You know what? She’s been standing there looking at picture for twenty minutes now!”
– tchrist♦
Jun 1 '17 at 15:17
Peter's and Prem's answers are at variance. This is possibly a US - non-US difference regarding idiomaticity. As a Brit, I prefer 'has been standing looking ...' though as it's clunky, I'd echo tchrist. With the 'that' that's still in his word-processor.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jun 1 '17 at 16:06
|
show 8 more comments
5
You can definitely use present perfect. And if she is still looking at the picture, it's definitely the tense I would expect. (But if she's not still looking at the picture, both simple past and present perfect work fine.)
– Peter Shor
Jun 1 '17 at 15:09
1
(1) "You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is not right. (2) "You know she has been standing [and] looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is better. (3) "last 20 minutes" may or may not include the present moment. (4) your completion is also valid. (5) some teachers do not like students who disagree, so better to go along, atleast to get the grades.
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:10
related : english.stackexchange.com/questions/311625/…
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:15
1
“You know what? She’s been standing there looking at picture for twenty minutes now!”
– tchrist♦
Jun 1 '17 at 15:17
Peter's and Prem's answers are at variance. This is possibly a US - non-US difference regarding idiomaticity. As a Brit, I prefer 'has been standing looking ...' though as it's clunky, I'd echo tchrist. With the 'that' that's still in his word-processor.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jun 1 '17 at 16:06
5
5
You can definitely use present perfect. And if she is still looking at the picture, it's definitely the tense I would expect. (But if she's not still looking at the picture, both simple past and present perfect work fine.)
– Peter Shor
Jun 1 '17 at 15:09
You can definitely use present perfect. And if she is still looking at the picture, it's definitely the tense I would expect. (But if she's not still looking at the picture, both simple past and present perfect work fine.)
– Peter Shor
Jun 1 '17 at 15:09
1
1
(1) "You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is not right. (2) "You know she has been standing [and] looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is better. (3) "last 20 minutes" may or may not include the present moment. (4) your completion is also valid. (5) some teachers do not like students who disagree, so better to go along, atleast to get the grades.
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:10
(1) "You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is not right. (2) "You know she has been standing [and] looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is better. (3) "last 20 minutes" may or may not include the present moment. (4) your completion is also valid. (5) some teachers do not like students who disagree, so better to go along, atleast to get the grades.
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:10
related : english.stackexchange.com/questions/311625/…
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:15
related : english.stackexchange.com/questions/311625/…
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:15
1
1
“You know what? She’s been standing there looking at picture for twenty minutes now!”
– tchrist♦
Jun 1 '17 at 15:17
“You know what? She’s been standing there looking at picture for twenty minutes now!”
– tchrist♦
Jun 1 '17 at 15:17
Peter's and Prem's answers are at variance. This is possibly a US - non-US difference regarding idiomaticity. As a Brit, I prefer 'has been standing looking ...' though as it's clunky, I'd echo tchrist. With the 'that' that's still in his word-processor.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jun 1 '17 at 16:06
Peter's and Prem's answers are at variance. This is possibly a US - non-US difference regarding idiomaticity. As a Brit, I prefer 'has been standing looking ...' though as it's clunky, I'd echo tchrist. With the 'that' that's still in his word-processor.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jun 1 '17 at 16:06
|
show 8 more comments
1 Answer
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If I were you, I would use present perfect continuous.
You know she has been standing (and) looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes (until now and so on).
answered Oct 27 at 19:13
hbtpoprock
1
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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If I were you, I would use present perfect continuous.
You know she has been standing (and) looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes (until now and so on).
answered Oct 27 at 19:13
hbtpoprock
1
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
If I were you, I would use present perfect continuous.
You know she has been standing (and) looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes (until now and so on).
answered Oct 27 at 19:13
hbtpoprock
1
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
If I were you, I would use present perfect continuous.
You know she has been standing (and) looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes (until now and so on).
answered Oct 27 at 19:13
hbtpoprock
1
If I were you, I would use present perfect continuous.
You know she has been standing (and) looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes (until now and so on).
answered Oct 27 at 19:13
hbtpoprock
1
answered Oct 27 at 19:13
hbtpoprock
1
answered Oct 27 at 19:13
hbtpoprock
1
answered Oct 27 at 19:13
hbtpoprock
1
1
add a comment |
add a comment |
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5
You can definitely use present perfect. And if she is still looking at the picture, it's definitely the tense I would expect. (But if she's not still looking at the picture, both simple past and present perfect work fine.)
– Peter Shor
Jun 1 '17 at 15:09
1
(1) "You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is not right. (2) "You know she has been standing [and] looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes." is better. (3) "last 20 minutes" may or may not include the present moment. (4) your completion is also valid. (5) some teachers do not like students who disagree, so better to go along, atleast to get the grades.
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:10
related : english.stackexchange.com/questions/311625/…
– Prem
Jun 1 '17 at 15:15
1
“You know what? She’s been standing there looking at picture for twenty minutes now!”
– tchrist♦
Jun 1 '17 at 15:17
Peter's and Prem's answers are at variance. This is possibly a US - non-US difference regarding idiomaticity. As a Brit, I prefer 'has been standing looking ...' though as it's clunky, I'd echo tchrist. With the 'that' that's still in his word-processor.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jun 1 '17 at 16:06