29 Comments
I think marijke.va1's question was about "why is the present tense like 'the band exists for two years' not accepted as a correct answer"". I'm going to suggest this as a correct option through "report a problem".
86
Agreed with gofinho_barbudo.I was thinking the same thing. I'm an English native and teacher. In English 'has exsisted' implies the duration until now meaning the action is not finished yet.
It wouldn't be grammatical, and it's not grammatical in English either, except in the correct context. How can you have something existing for 2 years in a certain point in the PRESENT? If it were to make sense, however, it would be "A banda existe por dois anos," so your answer would be incorrect as well.
I don't agree with you. When you say "the band existed for eight years" in English, it implies the band doesn't exist anymore. When you say "the band exists for eight years" in English it implies the band still exists. I'm not sure about this in portuguese. But I suppose it's the same. So I suppose the present time translation is the more correct one.
- 150
"The band exists for eight years" sounds very unnatural to me. I'd never express it that way. I would only say "the band HAS existed for eight years" to express that it still exists.
The band is eight years old. This is a statement of fact focused on the present.
The band has been in existence for eight years. Present perfect tense describes an interval of time from the past until the present moment.
"The band exists eight years." (incorrect)
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/verbs/present-tense/present-perfect
- 965
Hi Guido,
I made the same "...exists...." error :-)
Is there any difference in English between "existed" and "has existed"?
To rate Emeyr's answer "The band has been in existence for eight years"* below, which was accepted today:
I understand this sentence, but how can the sentence be correctly rephrased with "existing", I am curious? Or is there no "existing" in English?
"The band has been existing for eight years" does not sound right AND it was not accepted :-)
"The band was existing for eight years" (I am unsure about this, sounds not good!?!) was NOT accepted too.
"The band is in existence eight years" I don't understand why this is wrong it means the same as "The band is eight years old" which is given as one of the correct options. Like marijke.va1 I don't see how "The band was in existence..." can be correct.
- 1248
In English, the word "exist" does not indicate a duration. It describes a state of being now, in the present. If you want to indicate duration (eg 8 years) you must use a past or future tense. Eg. Has existed for / has been in existence for (or since) / was in existence from A to B / did exist for / will exist for / can exist for / etc. More usual would be "The band's been together for 8 years". Or perhaps, It was twenty years ago today / Sgt. Pepper taught the band to exist.
- 965
Hi Raymond,
I made the same "...exists...." error :-)
Is there any difference in English between "existed" and "has existed"?
The band existed for eight years. Simple past describes a finished event. The band no longer plays.
The band has existed for eight years. Present perfect describes an ongoing event: the band was formed eight years ago and continues to play.
- 126
Do you really say "The band existed eight years", as DL suggests, instead of "The band exists eight years" which is not accepted?
- 1758
If you say, "the band existed eight years" , what you're actually saying is the band was in existence for eight years, then broke up. "The band exists eight years" sounds more like a nature documentary, where a band (or troop) of animals only stays together for eight years at a time.
It's so hard not to hear "tem MUITOS anos de existência" because of the preceding "tem"!! The only clue is that yoju don't hear the "s" for "muitos"
Thomas Heiss the difference between the simple past tense "existed" and the present perfect tense "has existed" in english is VERY small. the main difference is that the simple past is only used to talk about actions that have happened and ended in the past. this is like "I worked all day long." the present perfect tense "has existed" can mean one of two things in terms of time. It could be an event the was in process in the past and has LITERALLY just ended as you are speaking like when you say "I have worked so hard on this piece, and its finally done" or the present perfect can refer to actions that started in the past and are still occurring as you speak. this is like "I have stood here all day, and I am still standing as we speak"
The band exists eight years. I thought it to be correct english. Like in the context of. It is their eight year anniversary, because the band exists eight years. In Dutch at least this would gramatically be totally fine. Cannot be hundred percent certain in english though.
- 150
"The band exists for eight years" sounds very unnatural to me. I'd never express it that way. I would only say "the band HAS existed for eight years" to express that it still exists.
That's not good English though. It needs to be past tense or be completely revised.
the band has existed for 8 years
the band already exists for the past 8 years
- 1758
I would revise your second sentence even more:
The band has already existed for the past eight years.
- 150
"The band has already existed for the past eight years" sounds weird. Remove "past" and it's totally fine.
I disagree it is bad (or even incorrect) English. just add 'now' and the sentence sounds completely natural: 'the band exists eight years now'. see, that is a natural sentence (though 'has existed' feels even more natural, I guess)
- 150
I don't agree that "the band exists eight years now'" sounds "completely natural." It sounds a little better with "now" added, but it stills sounds off.
