[Grammar] "had increased" or "have been increasing"? (problems)

Status
Not open for further replies.

amk0300

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Member Type
Other
Native Language
Romanian
Home Country
Romania
Current Location
Romania
“Recently, my problems had increased.”
“Recently, my problems have been increasing.”
In the last two weeks many problems have accumulated overnight.

Would you be so kind as to tell me, which one is correct?
Thank You so much!
 

Matthew Wai

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2013
Member Type
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
I think the present perfect instead of the past perfect should be used if "recently" is used.

Not a teacher.
 
Last edited:

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Both are correct. If you expect that they will continue to increase, then the continuous form is appropriate.
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
“Recently, my problems had increased.”
“Recently, my problems have been increasing.”
I'm not sure why you're asking about the past perfect and the present perfect continuous. This is putting two significant differences in the sentence. If you want to compare them, you should make only one difference, eg.
“Recently, my problems have increased.”
“Recently, my problems have been increasing.”

I think Barb might have misread your first sentence for the present perfect. If she did, I agree that they are both present perfect simple and continuous are both correct. “Recently, my problems had increased” is not correct, given that there's nothing to suggest that the past perfect is appropriate here.
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Indeed I did. I assumed it said "have" and therefore "saw" it that way. Sorry about that!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top