Mary has been learning

[Mary started learning the piano when she was five and is still carrying on.]

1. Mary has been learning to play the piano since she was five. She is sitting the grade 3 examination in the coming autumn.
2. Mary has been learning to play the piano since September, 2011. She is sitting the grade 3 examination in the coming autumn.

I wonder if sentence 1 and 2 are correct?

Thanks.

Yes

(Not a Teacher)

They both sound fine to me. 'The' is not strictly necessary in these sentences. Also, I don't think you need a comma between 'September' and '2011', but I'm not certain on that point.

5jj said:

Yes

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Thanks 5jj.

I'm sorry, I edited my post before your reply. Is the edited post grammtically correct?

SlickVic9000 said:

(Not a Teacher)

They both sound fine to me. 'The' is not strictly necessary in these sentences. Also, I don't think you need a comma between 'September' and '2011', but I'm not certain on that point.

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Thanks, SlickVic9000.

Do you mean "the" is not strictly necessary before "grade 2 examination" and "coming auturmn"?

Winwin2011 said:

I'm sorry, I edited my post before your reply. Is the edited post grammatically correct?

Click to expand...

Yes, but I'd say 'this autumn' rather than 'in the coming autumn'.

In BrE we normally use 'the' before an instrument we play/learn/practise, etc. SlickVic's comment applies to AmE.

And do delete the comma after September.