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22-Jan-2005, 13:35
|  | Senior Member | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Country: Germany
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| | Past, present perfect, past perfect Hello everyone,
would you please correct the following text? I had to use past, present perfect and past perfect. If there are any mistakes, it will be very nice of you when you give me an explanation.
Thanks a lot "I have been (be) alone since Monday. My wife and my four daughters are in London," Stevens began, and when Halliday asked, "How long have you been (be-you) here in this town?" he answered: "Well, Henry, I came (come) here about 25 years ago after I had studied (study) in Oxford and Paris. I have been (be) married for 23 years. My first daughter was born two years after our marriage. After the birth of my fourth daughter I bought (buy) this house and we have lived (live) here ever since. When I got (get) married I thought (think) that my wife and I would travel far and wide, but we have never been (be-never) abroad all the time because my wife has little interest in foreign countries. She is a woman of narrow mind and strong will; she dominated (dominate) me in every detail of my life for more than twenty years." Stevens stopped with a sigh. "But what have you done (you-do) since we left (leave) school?" "I went (go) to sea when I was 16 and since then I have seen (see) a lot of the world. Twenty years ago I worked (work) in a mine in Chile and then for about five years in an oilfield in the Sahara. For the last 10 years I have done (do) a bit of everything in a lot of different countries in three continents. Sometimes I get homesick and come back to the Old Country. I have been (be) here now for four months and for these past three weeks I worked (work) for that damned painting firm." "What a life!" Stevens broke in, "what a glorious life! Halliday, I envy you. You lived (live) the way I had dreamed (dream) of living when I was a teen." | 
22-Jan-2005, 23:42
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| | Re: Past, present perfect, past perfect Compare 1) and 2) with 3): 1) *she dominated (dominate) me in every detail of my life for more than twenty years." => He is still married. 2) *for these past three weeks I worked (work) for that damned painting firm." => He still works there. 3) I have been (be) here now for four months . . . . 4) "But what have you done (you-do) since we left (leave) school?" ==> Also, what have you been doing since you left school? 5) *You lived (live) the way I had dreamed (dream) of living when I was a teen." | 
23-Jan-2005, 10:30
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| | Re: Past, present perfect, past perfect
Thanks a lot for your corrections and explanations
To 5: You have lived the way I dreamed of living when I was a teen. (correct?)
Kind regards,
Dany | 
23-Jan-2005, 10:55
| | | Re: Past, present perfect, past perfect Trolling removed
Last edited by shane; 23-Jan-2005 at 12:06.
Reason: Blatant trolling
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