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  #11 (permalink)  
Old 09-Jan-2005, 16:45
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Default Re: It is ... + since

You, guys, are wrong.Murphy's grammar book explains the rule as follows:
We say 'It's (a long time/two years etc.) since something happened':
-It's two years since I last saw Joe. (=I haven't seen Joe for two years/the last time I saw Joe was two years ago)
-It's ages since we went to the cinema. (=We haven't been to the cinema for ages)

Murphy's text book is considered to be one of the most popular and very well edited grammar books. I quite agree with this statement. Thus, the sentence "a) It is a long time since I saw you. " is absolutely correct whereas the sentences "It's been a long time since I've seen you ~ It has been a long time since I have seen you. " are incorrect for you should use the Past with since unless it conveys no idea of reason. Did you get it? I'm absolutely sure that what I've just written is correct (at least from a British point of view).
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  #12 (permalink)  
Old 09-Jan-2005, 17:02
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Default Re: It is ... + since

Quote:
Originally Posted by Casiopea
Try to use pink or blue or green or any color aside from red. You see, in some cultures of the world, corrections made in red are . . . well, let's just say that we certainly wouldn't want to offend anyone or give them the wrong idea.
Sorry, red is my favourite colour. In future, I won't be use this colour for corrections. Sorry.

Kind regards,
Dany
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Old 09-Jan-2005, 17:41
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Default Re: It is ... + since

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash
You, guys, are wrong.Murphy's grammar book explains the rule as follows:
We say 'It's (a long time/two years etc.) since something happened':
-It's two years since I last saw Joe. (=I haven't seen Joe for two years/the last time I saw Joe was two years ago)
-It's ages since we went to the cinema. (=We haven't been to the cinema for ages)

Murphy's text book is considered to be one of the most popular and very well edited grammar books. I quite agree with this statement. Thus, the sentence "a) It is a long time since I saw you. " is absolutely correct whereas the sentences "It's been a long time since I've seen you ~ It has been a long time since I have seen you. " are incorrect for you should use the Past with since unless it conveys no idea of reason. Did you get it? I'm absolutely sure that what I've just written is correct (at least from a British point of view).
Welcome to the discussion, Flash.

Thank goodness you added, albiet in brackets (?), "at least from a British point of view". That's an important point. Dialects will differ, so be careful with the "incorrects" and such, it just might offend someone--of course, you'd never offend me.
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Old 09-Jan-2005, 17:48
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Default Re: It is ... + since

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dany
Sorry, red is my favourite colour. In future, I won't be use this colour for corrections. Sorry.

Kind regards,
Dany
No apologies necessary, please. I enjoy reading your posts a great deal.

My pajamas are red, and so are my slippers! I love the color red, and blue, and green, and pink, and . . . I just can't make up my mind. Did you know, that in Japan, if your favorite color is purple, it means you have a sad soul, and if your favorite color is blue, you're happy and carefree, like the day's sky. Maybe the rainbow of my favorite color choices speak of my colorful nature?
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Old 09-Jan-2005, 21:28
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Default Re: It is ... + since

Quote:
Welcome to the discussion, Flash.

Thank goodness you added, albiet in brackets (?), "at least from a British point of view". That's an important point. Dialects will differ, so be careful with the "incorrects" and such, it just might offend someone--of course, you'd never offend me.
I knew I had to add that point. I concur with you that it's very important indeed. I certainly did not want to offend any of the contributors. I just said that there was no doubt one of the sentences hela had written at the very beginning was correct. No offence.
You're 'tough' to offend, aren't you?
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  #16 (permalink)  
Old 10-Jan-2005, 03:48
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Default Re: It is ... + since

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash
I knew I had to add that point. I concur with you that it's very important indeed. I certainly did not want to offend any of the contributors. I just said that there was no doubt one of the sentences hela had written at the very beginning was correct. No offence.
You're 'tough' to offend, aren't you?
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  #17 (permalink)  
Old 10-Jan-2005, 15:49
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Default Re: It is ... + since

Quote:
Originally Posted by Casiopea
No apologies necessary, please. I enjoy reading your posts a great deal.

My pajamas are red, and so are my slippers! I love the color red, and blue, and green, and pink, and . . . I just can't make up my mind. Did you know, that in Japan, if your favorite color is purple, it means you have a sad soul, and if your favorite color is blue, you're happy and carefree, like the day's sky. Maybe the rainbow of my favorite color choices speak of my colorful nature?
Thanks for your complement
Good for me, that my favourite colour isn't purple

Kind regards,
Dany
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