Quote:
Originally Posted by light  thanks for your reply (thought I'd appreciate why b and c are wrong :)) |
a) "having been lost for many years, ...
b) "been lost for many years, ...
You normally never begin a sentence with
been.
c) "being lost for many years, ...
for many years excludes the use of
being; that's why it should be
having been lost.
The painting turned up at an auction after it had been lost for many years.
= (Having been) lost for many years, the painting turned up at an auction.
or The painting turned up at an auction, (having been) lost for many years.