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ESL forum > Ask for help > Use of the preposition    

Use of the preposition



curk
Spain

Use of the preposition
 
 
 Hello everybody ,

 I just wamted to make sure if the ue of the preposition in this entence is right or not

  The Elephant lived in the zoo from 1983..

Is it possible to say  since 1983?

23 Jan 2014      





a.antonides
Spain

Hola Curk, In my opinion the correct form is using the present perfect + since in case the elephant is still alive. It has lived in /at the zoo since 1983. When the animal died you can say that it lived in / at the zoo from 1983 until ....

Good luck.

23 Jan 2014     



Neha angel
India

HI Curk!

I agree with Ms. Antonides response. However, there is one more thing I �d like to add.
If the animal is still alive and you wish to use since then 
It has been living in zoo since 1983 would be better. ( present perfect continuous).
And usually, It is not preferred to use simple past tense when we want to emphasize specially on time.

I hope that helps:)
Regards,
Neha

23 Jan 2014     



tejo
Spain

Hi Curk!

I agree with Ms. Antonides too.
Use since +starting point ( since 1983)

23 Jan 2014     



yanogator
United States

This case is a little unusual, if the elephant is no longer alive, or is no longer at the zoo. In either case, "since" with the present perfect isn �t the correct choice.
 
Usually, "from" is used for referring to the entire time frame (from 1983 to 1999), but it can also be used, somewhat informally, with the simple past for a time period entirely in the past, as this case is, if the elephant is no longer there.
 
So, "from" is OK here in an informal usage. As the others have said, we wouldn�t use "since" with the simple past.
 
Bruce

23 Jan 2014     



libertybelle
United States

I think these  are the best answers

The best answer is the elephant has lived in the zoo since 1983
or as Neha angel wrote:
The elephant has been living in zoo since 1983

23 Jan 2014     



curk
Spain



    Thanks all of you  but the book just said that The elephant liven from 1983 and it sounded bad for me

24 Jan 2014