[Grammar] Monkeys ...... in this lab for many years.

[Venus.jam]

Hi there,

I wonder if both of the following sentences can be used in each of the following two exercises:


1. Monkeys ...... in this lab for many years (work).

Monkeys have worked in this lab for many years.
Monkeys have been working in this lab for many years.


2. This watch ............... very well since I repaired it. (Work)

This watch has been working very well since I repaired it.
This watch has worked very well since I repaired it.

 

[GoesStation]

All four sentences are grammatically correct. The first two are logically odd because we'd usually make the monkeys passive participants rather than active workers: This lab has used monkeys for many years or Monkeys have been used in this lab for many years.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

And most of us haven't the tools or the skills to repair our own watch. When mine quits working, I have it repaired.

 

[Venus.jam]

Would you please let me know the difference between the sentences below?
I wonder if the following explananation is correct and enough or the difference between these two tenses is more than the one mentioned below.
I have been working here for many years. (Present perfect continuous tense). It shows an action that started in the past continued without breaks up until now and is still continuing.
I have worked here for many years. (Present perfect tense). It means the action with a duration of many years started and finished at an unspecific time in the past.

 

[Tdol]

I have worked here for many years. (Present perfect tense). It means the action with a duration of many years started and finished at an unspecific time in the past.

The most likely meaning is similar to the first- the person still works there. We don't always use the perfect progressive forms if it's not that necessary.

 

[GoesStation]

I have worked here for many years. (Present perfect tense). It means the action with a duration of many years started and finished at an unspecific time in the past.

No. It means you still work there.

 

[Venus.jam]

The most likely meaning is similar to the first- the person still works there. We don't always use the perfect progressive forms if it's not that necessary.

So what is the difference between present perfect tense and present perfect progressive tense?

 

[Venus.jam]

No. It means you still work there.

In present perfect progressive it also means that "I still work there". So I wonder if these two tenses are different.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

In this example, there's a slight difference in emphasis.

I have worked... emphasizes the past-up-to-now.

I have been working... focusses a bit more on the expectation of continuing into the future.

 

[Tdol]

The progressive form can also emphasise the temporary nature of something, so it might change.

 

[Venus.jam]

1. Monkeys ...... in this lab for many years (work).

Monkeys have worked in this lab for many years.
Monkeys have been working in this lab for many years.

Can we say "Monkeys are being studied in this lab for many years"?

 

[emsr2d2]

No. If you're talking about a general state of affairs, you could say "Monkeys are studied in this lab for years [at a time]". If you're talking about the situation right now, then "Monkeys are currently being studied in this lab". If you need to add the information about how long the studies have been going on, your sentence would become "Monkeys have been being studied in this lab for years".

 

[Venus.jam]

No. If you're talking about a general state of affairs, you could say "Monkeys are studied in this lab for years [at a time]. If you're talking about the situation right now, then "Monkeys are currently being studied in this lab". If you need to add the information about how long the studies have been going on, your sentence would become "Monkeys have been being studied in this lab for years".

I'd appreciate if you answer the following 3 questions:

1. What is the difference between the following two sentences:

"Monkeys have been studied in this lab for many years"
"Monkeys have been being studied in this lab for many years."


2. Can we say "monkeys are studied in this lab for many years?


3. Monkeys are studied in this lab for years [at a time].
What do you mean by [at a time]?

 

[GoesStation]

I'd appreciate if you answer the following 3 questions:

1. What is the difference between the following two sentences:

"Monkeys have been studied in this lab for many years"
"Monkeys have been being studied in this lab for many years."

The second emphasizes the continuous nature of the studies. You could use the first if the lab had studied monkeys in 1998, 2003, 2004, 2010, and 2016; the second suggests that the lab began studying monkeys many years ago and has studied them without any interruptions ever since.

2. Can we say "monkeys are studied in this lab for many years?

No. You could say Monkeys are studied in this lab in many ways, because my version doesn't address duration or timing.

3. Monkeys are studied in this lab for years [at a time].
What do you mean by [at a time]?

For example: out of a total of twenty years, the lab studied monkeys once for six years and once for eleven years. At a time refers to each instance of monkey-studying.

 

[Venus.jam]

The second emphasizes the continuous nature of the studies. You could use the first if the lab had studied monkeys in 1998, 2003, 2004, 2010, and 2016; the second suggests that the lab began studying monkeys many years ago and has studied them without any interruptions ever since.



No. You could say Monkeys are studied in this lab in many ways, because my version doesn't address duration or timing.



For example: out of a total of twenty years, the lab studied monkeys once for six years and once for eleven years. At a time refers to each instance of monkey-studying.

I have still problem in the following parts:

1. But, I have not heard such a tense in English before. Would you please explain more about this tense? "monkeys have been being studied ....". I have heard "monkeys have been studied ..." though.

2. So you mean if we drop "many" the sentence would become correct?

"Monkeys are studied in this lab for years."

3. I think you mean that if we address duration and timing we should use present or past perfect tenses and not simple present tense. Right?

 

[emsr2d2]

"have/has been being" is the present perfect continuous form of "be".

 

[GoesStation]

You could say Monkeys are studied in this lab in many ways, because my version doesn't address duration or timing.

I [STRIKE]have[/STRIKE] still have a problem with [STRIKE]in[/STRIKE] the following parts:

1. But, I have not heard such a tense in English before. Would you please explain more about this tense? "monkeys have been being studied ....". I have heard "monkeys have been studied ..." though. See emsr2d2's reply.

2. So you mean if we drop "many" the sentence would become correct?

"Monkeys are studied in this lab for years." No. The passive voice doesn't work with that reference to a period of time.

3. I think you mean that if we address duration and timing we should use present or past perfect tenses and not simple present tense. Right?

​No. The passive voice was the problem with sentence 2.

 

[Tdol]

1. What is the difference between the following two sentences:

"Monkeys have been studied in this lab for many years"
"Monkeys have been being studied in this lab for many years."

The second, while not grammatically incorrect, is an unusual sentence that would require some special context to make it necessary.

 

[emsr2d2]

I have a feeling I'm the only person here who doesn't find anything unusual or uncommon about "has/have been being".

 

[GoesStation]

I have a feeling I'm the only person here who doesn't find anything unusual or uncommon about "has/have been being".

The present perfect continuous is one of the rarer tenses but it is used sometimes. I'd say I find it uncommon but fine when it's appropriate.