It's been a while since I was / I've been here.

[Marika33]

Which of these versions of each sentence is grammatically correct (or both/all)?

1. It's been a while since I've been here.
2. It's been a while since I was here.

1. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
2. It's been a while since I went to France.
3. It's been a while since I was in France.

 

[Tarheel]

They are all OK. On second thought the first one seems a little odd. You are at the place you are talking about, and you say it's been a while since you were there. However, you are there. So that can't be true. I guess you want to say that a long time passed between visits.

 

[Marika33]

On second thought the first one seems a little odd.

Excuse me, which one exactly?

1. It's been a while since I've been here. (I'm here now)
2. It's been a while since I was here. (I'm here now)
3. It's been a while since I've been to/in France. (I'm not in France)
4. It's been a while since I went to France. (I'm not in France)
5. It's been a while since I was in France. (I'm not in France)

 

[Tarheel]

They are numbered. #1 is the first one.

 

[Marika33]

They are numbered. #1 is the first one.

OK, I'd like to ask this in a different way.

Do you think either of these is possible if "I'm still here", or you do not?

• 1A. It's been a while since I've been here.
• 2A. It's been a while since I was here.

Do you think any of these is possible if "I'm not in France now", or you do not?

• 1/2B. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
• 3B. It's been a while since I went to France.
• 4B. It's been a while since I was in France.

Do you think any of these is possible if "I've just arrived in France", or you do not?

• 1/2C. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
• 3C. It's been a while since I went to France.
• 4C. It's been a while since I was in France.

 

[Piscean]

Do you think any of these is possible if "I've just arrived in France", or you do not?

• 1/2C. It's been a while since I've been to/in France. (I'm not in France)
• 3C. It's been a while since I went to France. (I'm not in France)
• 4C. It's been a while since I was in France. (I'm not in France)

None of those makes sense. You cannot have just arrived in France and simultaneously not be in France.

 

[Marika33]

None of those makes sense, You cannot have just arrived in France and simultaneously not be in France.

Interesting... Something doesn't add up. Not long ago I came across a movie in which a person said this "It's been a while since I've been here (in/to France)" while actually he was "here (in France)".

 

[emsr2d2]

Interesting... Not long ago I came across a movie in which a person said this "It's been a while since I've been here (in/to Paris)" while actually he was "here (in Paris)".

That makes perfect sense. The word "here" is the giveaway. She said "here" because she was "here" in Paris at the time of speaking. In your previous post, you opened with "I've just arrived in France" and ended all your example sentences with "I'm not in France". You can't have just arrived but not be there!

 

[Marika33]

That makes perfect sense. The word "here" is the giveaway. She said "here" because she was "here" in Paris at the time of speaking. In your previous post, you opened with "I've just arrived in France" and ended all your example sentences with "I'm not in France". You can't have just arrived but not be there!

Eh, I see. I'm sorry it was a typo (I copied the sentences from above without checking). I've corrected them now. So, the question is still open

Do you think either of these is possible if "I'm still here", or you do not?

• 1A. It's been a while since I've been here.
• 2A. It's been a while since I was here.

Do you think any of these is possible if "I'm not in France now", or you do not?

• 1/2B. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
• 3B. It's been a while since I went to France.
• 4B. It's been a while since I was in France.

Do you think any of these is possible if "I've just arrived in France", or you do not?

• 1/2C. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
• 3C. It's been a while since I went to France.
• 4C. It's been a while since I was in France.

 

[Piscean]

I'm sorry it was a typo (I copied the sentences from above without checking). I've corrected them now.

Please don't edit posts after they have received a response. The response becomes pointless.

 

[Marika33]

Please don't edit posts after they have received a response. The response becomes pointless.

I've corrected the mistakes I accidentally made so that I can now get the answer I'm looking for.

 

[Skrej]

Do you think either of these is possible if "I'm still here", or you do not? They're only possible if you're currently at the location in question, because of the word 'here'

• 1A. It's been a while since I've been here.
• 2A. It's been a while since I was here.

Do you think any of these is possible if "I'm not in France now", or you do not? All are possible regardless of your location.

• 1/2B. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
• 3B. It's been a while since I went to France.
• 4B. It's been a while since I was in France.

Do you think any of these is possible if "I've just arrived in France", or you do not? See above.

• 1/2C. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
• 3C. It's been a while since I went to France.
• 4C. It's been a while since I was in France.

 

[jutfrank]

Which of these versions of each sentence is grammatically correct (or both/all)?

1. It's been a while since I've been here.
2. It's been a while since I was here.

I consider both of these grammatical.

1. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
2. It's been a while since I went to France.
3. It's been a while since I was in France.

These too, though they have different meanings.

 

[jutfrank]

Do you think either of these is possible if "I'm still here", or you do not?

• 1A. It's been a while since I've been here.
• 2A. It's been a while since I was here.

Yes.

Do you think any of these is possible if "I'm not in France now", or you do not?

• 1/2B. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
• 3B. It's been a while since I went to France.
• 4B. It's been a while since I was in France.

Yes.

Do you think any of these is possible if "I've just arrived in France", or you do not?

• 1/2C. It's been a while since I've been to/in France.
• 3C. It's been a while since I went to France.
• 4C. It's been a while since I was in France.

I consider 3C wrong. The problem there is that you're introducing deixis with the verb 'went' (what that means is that you can't use 'go' to talk about a place at which you're currently speaking—we use the verb 'come' for this.) If you replaced 'went' with 'came', you'd remove the problem.

 

[Marika33]

Yes.
Yes.

I consider 3C wrong. The problem there is that you're introducing deixis with the verb 'went' (what that means is that you can't use 'go' to talk about a place at which you're currently speaking—we use the verb 'come' for this.) If you replaced 'went' with 'came', you'd remove the problem.

Thank you very much! Very helpful!

About 1A and 2A, are they still OK if I change "here" to "there"?

• 1A. It's been a while since I've been here. (I'm still here) - fine
• 2A. It's been a while since I was here. (I'm still here) - fine
  
  
• 1D. It's been a while since I've been there. (I'm not there) - ?
• 2D. It's been a while since I was there. (I'm not there) - ?

 

[emsr2d2]

All four sentences in your last post are correct and possible in the right context.