present simple or perfect?

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Mher

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Have I used the tenses correct: "Dear participants, it has already been 25 years since I occupy high state positions?"
 

Matthew Wai

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The simple past should be used after 'since'.

Not a teacher.
 

Mher

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But the speaker continues to occupy high posts.:)
Maybe I need replace since with that?

Or "I have been occupying high state positions for 25 years already."
 
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SoothingDave

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But the speaker continues to occupy high posts.:)
Maybe I need replace since with that?

Then you can not use since like that.

"It has been 25 years since I first began occupying high state positions."

"I have been occupying high state positions for 25 years now."

"It has been 25 years since I first began to occupy high state positions."
 

Tdol

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How about using hold instead of occupy?
 

Tdol

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Occupying sounds more like squatting, while holding office sounds more like a true politician to me.
 

Mher

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Occupying sounds more like squatting, while holding office sounds more like a true politician to me.
What do you mean by "squatting"? Is it a synonym for "usurping"?
By the way, it is a nice idea to use unknown words from time to time.
 

Tdol

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Sort of- they're in office, but not really up to the job, so they're occupying the position that should be held by someone better.
 
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