[Grammar] It's been ... since I/you/we/he/she/it haven't/hasn't ....

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CarloSsS

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Is this construction correct?
If I say: "It's been five years since I haven't driven a car." is it acceptable, meaning that I haven't driven a car for five years? Is it natural? I'm especially interested in AmE, but BrE or any other variation is fine too.
I know the alternatives such as:
  • It's been since I last drove a car.
  • I last drove a car five years ago.
  • I haven't driven a car for five years.
  • etc...
 

cereal_chick

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It has been five years since you haven't driven a car? You've driven a car for five years solid?! I don't think so!
"It's been five years since I have driven a car."
All of your alternatives are fine as well, but you need to specify a period of time for the first one.

[Not a teacher]
 

5jj

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It's been five years since I haven't driven a car." No
It's been five years since I last drove a car.
I last drove a car five years ago. Yes
I haven't driven a car for five years. Yes

 

CarloSsS

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It's been five years since I haven't driven a car.
Does it even make sense? Would anybody say something like that? Could it mean the opposite of what it was supposed to mean, which is something like this: "I've been driving a car for five years".
 

emsr2d2

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It's been five years since I haven't driven a car.
Does it even make sense? Would anybody say something like that? Could it mean the opposite of what it was supposed to mean, which is something like this: "I've been driving a car for five years".

That is exactly the point that Calis was making in post #2. It means the exact opposite of what you wanted to say.
 

CarloSsS

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And would anybody use it in that meaning? Is it natural?
 

emsr2d2

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No, it isn't natural. There would be no reason for anyone to use it.
 

Barb_D

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As with almost any sentence, we can come up with a scenario for things to work.

Like:
A: Oh, gosh my feet hurt.
B: You say that every day when you get home from work.
A: That because they do hurt by the end of every day. I think it's been five years since my feet haven't hurt.
 
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