rodgers white
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2016
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- Chinese
- Home Country
- China
- Current Location
- China
My student asked me a question recently. It presumes that you are now in Beijing. So, you can say like "I have been here once" if you went there once before. My student's question is: Can we say like "I have been here twice."?
My answer is no. My explanation is that only if you leave Beijing again, then you can say "I have been there twice."
But my student seems puzzled still. (To say here, you have to be 'here'. So the present instance of being here is the one time that you are 'here'. If, in addition to being 'here' now, you also have been 'here', that makes twice, not once.)
So, please tell me how to clarify this more clearly. :-?
Many thanks in advance.
My answer is no. My explanation is that only if you leave Beijing again, then you can say "I have been there twice."
But my student seems puzzled still. (To say here, you have to be 'here'. So the present instance of being here is the one time that you are 'here'. If, in addition to being 'here' now, you also have been 'here', that makes twice, not once.)
So, please tell me how to clarify this more clearly. :-?
Many thanks in advance.
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