Over recent weeks Russian forces have made creeping advances

Kolridg

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Member Type
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
I am confused by the present perfect being used with time indicator pointing to the past ("over recent weeks"), which implies the simple past. Does exception to the rule take place here?

The first sentence from the text on dark-blue background:
"Over recent weeks Russian forces have made creeping advances through the ruins of Marianka, a town in Donetsk Oblast".
 

jutfrank

VIP Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
I am confused by the present perfect being used with time indicator pointing to the past ("over recent weeks"), which implies the simple past.

No, it doesn't. In fact, it's completely the other way round—over recent weeks is highly compatible with the present perfect, and not the past simple.

I think you're probably misunderstanding the sense of the preposition over.
 

Kolridg

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Member Type
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
I now understand, thank you.
think you're probably misunderstanding the sense of the preposition over.
The thing is that I just didn't remember rule "The present perfect is used with words recently and lately" when came across phrase "recent weeks" in that text.
 
Top