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Thread: not so long time ago+present perfect

  1. 10-Feb-2012, 11:32 #1
    ostap77
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    Default not so long time ago+present perfect

    Could I use the present perfect with "not so long ago"? It's kind of similar in meaning with recently to me. "There've been protests not so long time ago."?
    Last edited by ostap77; 10-Feb-2012 at 12:46. Reason: mistake
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  2. 10-Feb-2012, 11:50 #2
    emsr2d2
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    Default Re: not so long time ago+present perfect

    Quote Originally Posted by ostap77 View Post
    Could I use the present perfect with "not so long time ago"? It's kind of similar in meaning with recently to me. "There've been protests not so long time ago."?
    "Not so long time ago" is not correct at all, no matter what tense you put with it.

    Not so long ago ...
    Not such a long time ago ...
    Not very long ago ...
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  3. 10-Feb-2012, 11:53 #3
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    Default Re: not so long time ago+present perfect

    But I would use the simple past with the various forms suggested by ems.
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    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.
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