Grammar help

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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Grammar help

Grammar help

Maryamsh

Grammar help

Hello dear teachers

Please help me, There is a grammar practice which I have some questions from, look at the bold verbs that I used. I wonder if I can use present perfect continuous instead of present perfect one (has been making or even made?)and use present perfect instead of simple past one (has become)

Please answer me with descriptions. Why should we use these tenses for these sentences?

Since then, Vanessa-Mae has made recordings; but it was in 1994 that she entered the field of pop music. The album immediately became popular with pop and classical music fans.

Thanks in advance

18 Oct 2017

Gi2gi

Hi,

�

Since then, Vanessa-Mae has made recordings;� (a)

�

and

�

Since then, Vanessa-Mae has been making�recordings;� (b)

�

are both correct, depending on what the speaker wants to emphasize - the result/achievement/completeness of the action (a) or the process/duration of the ongoing action� (b).

�

�but it was in 1994 that she entered the field of pop music. The album immediately became popular with pop and classical music fans.

�

�became � is the best choice here, you have the past time indicator ( �in 1994 �) and you are narrating a past event, hence Past Simple ( �became �)

�

That �s just my two pennies � worth; hope this helps.

�

Giorgi�

18 Oct 2017

yanogator

I �d like to add a little to Giorgi �s excellent answer.

If she has made only a few recordings since then, the present perfect expresses it best, because she hasn �t been making recordings over the whole period. If you could say "has made some recordings", then the present perfect is definitely right.

if she has made one or more recordings every year, then the present perfect continuous emphasizes the fact that the process has been taking place over the entire period.

Bruce

18 Oct 2017