Cas wrote:
Quote:
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"I have lived in Japan in the past two weeks" is ungrammatical. for the past two weeks modifies 'have lived' quite nicely.
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My reply: It is inexcusable for me not to have discussed about the prepositions used in the pattern of the Past Family.
IN is dynamic, meaning sometimes there, and sometimes not there.
FOR is static, meaning most, if not all, of the time.
But in past discussions (in other forums) we agreed that they are so only when the pattern is without the adjective 'past'.
Ex: *I have lived in Japan in two weeks.
Ex: I have lived in Japan for two weeks.
Actually, in the pattern without 'past', many other prepositions should not work, either:
Ex: *I have lived in Japan during two weeks.
Ex: *I have lived in Japan over two weeks.
Ex: *I have lived in Japan within two weeks.
:agrue: But I want to report to you, as we agreed then, both in opinion and evidence, when there is the adjective 'past', most prepositions are acceptable:
Ex: I have lived in Japan
in/within/during/over/for/etc. the past two weeks.
== Only God knows the difference. ALL are frequent in the format of the Past Family.
:) But I agree you may now argue instead whether we should use LIVE, rather than STAY, to describe a period of staying there for two weeks. I want to skip the discussion of the preference in LIVE or STAY, with "in two weeks". Nevertheless, I predict you have a keen eye on this matter.
