Search from various Engels teachers...
David
" I haven't talked to you for years " or " I didn't talk to you for years " ??? Thanks
13 mei 2015 19:05
Antwoorden · 4
3
They are both correct, but they give different information.
1. The present perfect ( I haven't talked..) always tells you something about the present time. The present perfect is concerned with the period of time up to now.
So, if you say 'I haven't talked to you for years', this might mean that I last talked to you in 2010, and that I haven't talked to you for the whole five-year period between 2010 and NOW. The use of the present perfect tells you that this period is unfinished.
2. The past simple ( I didn't talk...) always tells you about a finished period of time in the PAST.
So, for example, if there was silence between us in the period 2008 - 2012, you would say 'I didn't talk to you for years'. The use of the past simple tells us that this period is now over.
I hope this makes sense. The concept of finished/unfinished time is a key difference between English and French grammar. Please ask if anything isn't clear.
13 mei 2015
2
The first one:
" I haven't talked to you for years "
13 mei 2015
Heb je je antwoorden nog steeds niet gevonden?
Schrijf je vragen op en laat de moedertaalsprekers je helpen!
David
Taalvaardigheden
Engels, Frans, Japans, Spaans
Taal die wordt geleerd
Engels, Japans, Spaans
Artikelen die je misschien ook leuk vindt

🎃 October Traditions: Halloween, Holidays, and Learning Portuguese
21 likes · 7 Opmerkingen

The Curious World of Silent Letters in English
23 likes · 12 Opmerkingen

5 Polite Ways to Say “No” at Work
29 likes · 7 Opmerkingen
Meer artikelen