robjenrobjen
Member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2015
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Greek
- Home Country
- Greece
- Current Location
- Greece
I would like to make up an example below.
(ex) John asks, "I have not seen you for a long time. Where have you been?"
(a) Mary answers, "I have been sick."
(b) Mary answers, "I was sick."
I think the past participle in (a) means that Mary is still sick and the simple past in (b) means that she just recovered from her sickness.
What about "I had been sick."? Does the past perfect mean that her sickness lasted for a long time? Now, she is okay.
I am very confused about the different tenses in these sentences. Could someone please explain my question? Thank you for helping me.
(ex) John asks, "I have not seen you for a long time. Where have you been?"
(a) Mary answers, "I have been sick."
(b) Mary answers, "I was sick."
I think the past participle in (a) means that Mary is still sick and the simple past in (b) means that she just recovered from her sickness.
What about "I had been sick."? Does the past perfect mean that her sickness lasted for a long time? Now, she is okay.
I am very confused about the different tenses in these sentences. Could someone please explain my question? Thank you for helping me.