Is the second sentence the past version of the first?

[Tan Elaine]

When I return home, she has been waiting for me since two hours ago.

When I returned home, she had been waiting for me since two hours before.

Is the second sentence the past version of the first? If not, how should I phrase the sentence?

Thanks.

 

[Matthew Wai]

since two hours ago

Some people deem it wrong to say so. 'For two hours' should be correct.

Not a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

When I got home, she'd (she had) been waiting for me for two hours.

 

[Tan Elaine]

Thanks to both of you.

Should I use "for" in the first sentence?

When I got home, she has been waiting for me for two hours.

 

[Matthew Wai]

'Waiting' happened before 'got home', so the past perfect should be used instead of the present perfect.

Not a teacher.

 

[Tan Elaine]

Sorry. There was a typo.

I meant the first sentence, so it should be "When I return home, she has been waiting for me for two hours." Would this be preferred to the original sentence?

Thanks.

 

[emsr2d2]

Are you talking about a habitual action? If not, then you sound like you are trying to use the literary trick of speaking in the present tense to tell a story.

 

[Tan Elaine]

Thanks, emsr.

It is a one-off situation.

 

[emsr2d2]

Then I would use the past tense.

By the way, if you are going to use someone's username on the forum, please use the whole name. My username is "emsr2d2" for a reason. Abbreviating it to "emsr" doesn't make any sense. In case my avatar doesn't give it away, the most relevant part of it is "r2d2"!

 

[Tan Elaine]

My apologies for not typing your username in full. I will do so in future.

 

[anhnha]

Then I would use the past tense.

By the way, if you are going to use someone's username on the forum, please use the whole name. My username is "emsr2d2" for a reason. Abbreviating it to "emsr" doesn't make any sense. In case my avatar doesn't give it away, the most relevant part of it is "r2d2"!

Just curious, is r2d2 Artoo-Detoo?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R2-D2

 

[Matthew Wai]

Just curious,

I don't know whether it's more common, but the dictionary says 'Just out of interest', see
http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/interest_1 Definition#1

Not a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

Just curious, is r2d2 Artoo-Detoo?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R2-D2

Yes, hence my avatar.