I've been a member of this group.

[Marika33]

• I've been a member of this group.

Can you say this if you have not been a member of this group for a long time or in order for you to be able to say this you have to still be a member of this group (ot have to have just recently been)?

Same here:

• I'd been a member of this group.

Can you say this if you had not been a member of this group for a long time or in order for you to be able to say this you have to have still (at that moment in the past) been a member of this group (or have to have just recently been before that moment)?

 

[Tarheel]

I've been a member of this group for nine years.

Note the time element.

I've been a member of this group since 2014.

Again, note the time element.

 

[Piscean]

It is possible to say 'I have been a member of this group' referring to a past time period, but we normally say I was a member of this group once or I used to be a member of this group. Note that the have of the present perfect for is usually uncontracted in this meaning,

 

[Marika33]

It is possible to say 'I have been a member of this group' referring to a past time period, but we normally say I was a member of this group once or I used to be a member of this group. Note that the have of the present perfect for is usually uncontracted in this meaning,

Could you please give me an example (some context) in which it is only possible to use the present perfect (have/has been member of), referring to a past time period.

 

[Tarheel]

See post #2.

 

[Piscean]

Could you please give me an example (some context) in which it is only possible to use the present perfect (have/has been member of), referring to a past time period.

I was a member of forum A from 2015 to 2020 and Forum B from 2014 to 2016. I am no longer a member of these forums. I have feen a member of UE since 2015. I am still a member of UE.

Nowadays I only retain membership of one forum, but I have been a member of two others.

 

[jutfrank]

Could you please give me an example (some context) in which it is only possible to use the present perfect (have/has been member of), referring to a past time period.

I have been a member of Using English since 2015.

This means you are still a member. This meaning comes from the time phrase 'since 2015'. You shouldn't use the past simple in this sentence. It's the time phrase that gives the 'until now' meaning.

I have been a member of Using English for eight years.

This implies (without additional context) that you are still a member but it could mean that you are not still a member, and that you're just talking about your life experience.

 

[Marika33]

I have been a member of Using English for eight years.

This implies (without additional context) that you are still a member but it could mean that you are not still a member, and that you're just talking about your life experience.

Great explanation, thank you so much! It's especially important to see the comparison from above with the time phrase "since 2015".

So, even adding "for [an amount of time]" to a present perfect sentence doesn't make it necessarily mean that the period is still unfinished (or finished just recently), it could have also ended a long time ago, right?
e.g.

• Have you ever worked hard for ten years on something that then came out and got a lot of hate?

 

[jutfrank]

So, even adding "for [an amount of time]" to a present perfect sentence doesn't make it necessarily mean that the period is still unfinished (or finished just recently), it could have also ended a long time ago, right?

Yes, right.

e.g.

• Have you ever worked hard for ten years on something that then came out and got a lot of hate?

Yes, good example.