[Grammar] present perfect or present perfect progress tense

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wynnmyintuu

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For the given sentence, which tense should be used, present perfect or present perfect progressive?
They (not speak) to each other since they quarrelled.
 

emsr2d2

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Which do you think? ;-)
 

MartinEnglish

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They haven't spoken. Here "speak" isn't really used literally, it means "make friends again" so we're interested in a finished result (PP) not a continuous action such as speaking (PPC).

It really means "They haven't made friends again since they quarrelled".
 

emsr2d2

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MartinEnglish - may I politely point out that generally on this forum we strive not to simply hand answers to learners on a plate. That was the reason behind my first post (post #2). We encourage them to have a go themselves first, especially as it may be a test question which they have not yet submitted for marking. Just a little reminder. :)
 
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