Is there any difference between the four sentences?
He hasn't studied English for a long time.
He hasn't studied English for long.
He hasn't been studying English for along time.
He hasn't been studying English for long.
Also,
I haven't known him for long.
I haven't known him for a long time.
Last,
They haven't been there for long.
They haven't been there for a long time.
Which of the sentences means 從開始到現在作某事的期間沒有很久 and which means 很久沒作某事?
for long vs. for a long time
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- YOYO member
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- 註冊時間: 週五 12月 07, 2007 12:15 pm
Re: for long vs. for a long time
I think you've looked up all your grammar books for answers to the questions. As I do not have a better knowledge of grammar than you, I would try answering these questions by intuition. (Sometimes it works!)
See if you agree.
他很久沒學習英文了Kooper 寫:He hasn't studied English for a long time.
他學英文的時間不長Kooper 寫:He hasn't studied English for long.
What does "hasn't been studied English" mean?Kooper 寫:He hasn't been studied English for along time.
He hasn't been studied English for long.
我認識他的時間不長Kooper 寫:I haven't known him for long.
Sounds strange to me. Maybe it means 我有很長的時間沒聽到他的消息了Kooper 寫:I haven't known him for a long time.
他們到那兒的時間不長Kooper 寫:They haven't been there for long.
他們很久沒去那兒了Kooper 寫:They haven't been there for a long time.
See if you agree.
- technobabel
- YOYO member
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- 註冊時間: 週六 5月 14, 2005 8:42 pm
- 來自: Eastern Seaboard
Re: for long vs. for a long time
From this song we can tell that our sense of time can be a very subjective experience.
Woa, oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh
For the longest
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do
I'm so inspired by you
That hasn't happened for the longest time
Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That's where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven't been there for the longest time
Woa, oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh
For the longest
I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn't happened for the longest time
Maybe this won't last very long
But you feel so right
And I could be wrong
Maybe I've been hoping too hard
But I've gone this far
And it's more than I hoped for
Who knows how much further we'll go on
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time
I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself
Hold on to your heart
Now I know the woman that you are
You're wonderful so far
And it's more than I hoped for
I don't care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time
Woa, oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh,oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh,
For the longest time
(Fade Out)
Woa, oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh
For the longest
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do
I'm so inspired by you
That hasn't happened for the longest time
Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That's where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven't been there for the longest time
Woa, oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh
For the longest
I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn't happened for the longest time
Maybe this won't last very long
But you feel so right
And I could be wrong
Maybe I've been hoping too hard
But I've gone this far
And it's more than I hoped for
Who knows how much further we'll go on
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time
I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself
Hold on to your heart
Now I know the woman that you are
You're wonderful so far
And it's more than I hoped for
I don't care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time
Woa, oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh,oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh,
For the longest time
(Fade Out)
I am not abandoning Yoyo, I am just dancing slowly away from it.
Re: for long vs. for a long time
Oops. It's a typo. The sentence should be "He hasn't been studying English for long." and "He hasn't been studying English for a long time."Sherry Liao 寫:What does "hasn't been studied English" mean?Kooper 寫:He hasn't been studied English for along time.
He hasn't been studied English for long.
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- YOYO member
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- 註冊時間: 週五 4月 24, 2009 6:09 pm
Re: for long vs. for a long time
I checked the dictionary, it says " for long" => usually used in questions and negatives : 字典例句: i haven't known them for very long ( 我認識他們沒有很久 )
I haven't known them for very long -> 如果翻成 "我很久沒認識他們了", 沒人會這樣說, 邏輯也不通, 語言不能套公式, 端看經驗法則
Michael
I haven't known them for very long -> 如果翻成 "我很久沒認識他們了", 沒人會這樣說, 邏輯也不通, 語言不能套公式, 端看經驗法則
Michael