For a month I have gone to the Forum to hear him speak.

[Michaelll]

• A: For a month I have gone to the Forum to hear him speak.

Does this sentence mean that A has gone to the forum repeatedly over the period of a month, or that he went there (probably ten minutes ago or yesterday) in order to spend a month there? If one or the other, how to convey the other idea?

 

[SoothingDave]

I would understand this to mean he went to the Forum daily to hear him speak. Possibly even taking weekends or holidays off.

 

[Michaelll]

I would understand this to mean he went to the Forum daily to hear him speak. Possibly even taking weekends or holidays off.

Oh, so is it more like "For a month I've been going to the Forum to hear him speak" instead of "For a month I've gone ...", right?

• 1. (repeatedly over a certain period of time)
  I've gone to Italy every weekend for a month. (= I've been going to Italy every weekend ...)

OK, how to convey the other idea, then? Just use the same 'has gone' and 'for'?

• 2. (one single action)
  A: Tomorrow I'm going to Italy for a month.
  Two days later:
  B: Where's A?
  C: He's gone to Italy for a month. (= He has gone to Italy in order to spend a month there)

 

[Tarheel]

• A: For a month I have gone to the Forum to hear him speak.

Does this sentence mean that A has gone to the forum repeatedly over the period of a month?

Yes.

 

[SoothingDave]

Moving the "for a month" would certainly help to convey the other meaning. He has gone to the Forum for a month.

Even that isn't super clear because one wouldn't normally stay continuously in a public area.

 

[Michaelll]

Moving the "for a month" would certainly help to convey the other meaning. He has gone to the Forum for a month.

Thank you!

Even that isn't super clear because one wouldn't normally stay continuously in a public area.

Imagine you are a famous doctor who's been invited to attend a forum for a couple of weeks or something (staying in a hotel nearby).

My dad has gone to the medical forum in St. Petersburg for a couple of weeks. (a single action that happened in the recent past, say, yesterday)
My dad has gone to the medical forum in St. Petersburg (every summer) for ten years now. (repeatedly over a certain period of time)

 

[SoothingDave]

Yes, I think you've got it. The latter sentence could also be "For ten years now, my dad has gone to the medical forum (convention) in St Petersburg every summer."

 

[emsr2d2]

Imagine you are a famous doctor who's been invited to attend a two-week forum for a couple of weeks or something (staying in a hotel nearby).

1. My dad has gone to the medical forum in St. Petersburg for a couple of weeks. (a single action that happened in the recent past, say, yesterday)
2. My dad has gone to the medical forum in St. Petersburg (every summer) for ten years now. (repeatedly over a certain period of time)

Sentence 2 is correct in that context.
Sentence 1 suggests that he will do absolutely nothing but attend the forum for two weeks. That's unlikely. He'll have some down time/leisure time and will have to eat and sleep. A change of word order would improve it:

My dad has gone to St Petersburg for two weeks to attend a medical forum.