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During with Present Perfect?

English Language & Usage Asked on December 9, 2020

Can anyone make this clear for me? Look at this sentence:

-“I have been making this Tshirt during the confinement period”

Let’s imagine that the confinement period is not over, and that the job with the Tshirt is over. The question is: can you use “during” in this sentence: I feel you can’t, but I can’t work out how to express that.

Can you help me? Thanks!

One Answer

There are two meanings to "during" OALD,

  • "throughout the whole period" and
  • "at some point in the period".

Since the confinement period is not finished you must understand as a reader or listener that the second meaning of "during" is the proper one. There is no problem in using "during" if the tense is compatible.

If we take a look at the principle for using the present perfect (Grammarly) we find that there are two possibilities.

  • The action or state that either occurred at an indefinite time in the past.
    we have talked before
  • The action began in the past and continued to the present time.
    he has grown impatient over the last hour

This further advice (same ref.) is the key.

The important thing to remember about the present perfect is that you can’t use it when you are being specific about when [the action] happened.

  • correct I have put away all the laundry.
  • incorrect I have put away all the laundry this morning.

Since you are being specific about when the action occurred in the past (during the confinement period) you can't use the present perfect. You can't use the past continuous either because it tells of an action in progress in the past, whereas the action is an action that finished in the past.

  • I made this Tshirt during the confinement period.

Answered by LPH on December 9, 2020

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