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Possible Duplicate:
When to use “has lived” vs. “lived” vs. “had lived”

I’m having trouble understanding this sentence:

I have lived here for three years (I still live here.)

I know that this sentence means that somebody still lives there, but can this also mean that that person doesn't live there anymore?

I’m asking because I noticed that without “for three years”, “my whole life”, etc the action seems to be complete; for example, “I have lived there”, meaning that the person doesn't live there anymore.

But with “for three years”, “my whole life”, or something similar, it is not clear whether the person is still living there or not. They may or may not be living there.

Is it really so?

Community
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Monica
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2 Answers2

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Usually, if I don't still live here, I would say "I lived here for three years" (simple past). The perfect tense generally denotes a state that's still continuing.

  • 'I have lived there' would also mean that I don't live there, wouldn't it? – Monica May 15 '12 at 11:35
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    @Monica, If you are trying to say you no longer live "there," you would still say "I lived there." Saying "I have lived there," even without the time added ("for three years" or "my whole life") can imply that you still live there. – JLG May 15 '12 at 11:46
  • But when I wrote this sentence; 'I have lived in Los Angeles' and said that it means 'the person doesn't live there anymore' and that it's a finished action it doesn't imply that it is still in progress native speakers agreed with me. – Monica May 15 '12 at 11:52
  • The problem here is that the discussion is about the meaning of a decontextualised sentence. I can't imagine a context in which someone would say the 6 words: "I have lived in Los Angeles" and mean they are still living there, without adding a temporal phrase such as "for 3 years" or "my whole life." By itself, the statement "I have lived in Los Angeles" can only be construed as meaning you don't live there any more. It is possible, for example, in the context of responding to the prompt: Tell me all the places you have lived. – Shoe May 15 '12 at 12:13
  • After reading your comment, Shoe I sighed with relief. So I was right when I said that without adding 'for' 3 years', 'my whole life', etc it will mean that it's a finished action and with either 'for 3 years' or 'my whole life,' etc it will mean that the person is either still living there or maybe is not. – Monica May 15 '12 at 14:07
  • Could anyone reply to this post, please? http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/67776/present-perfect-continuous-for-finished-actions/67792#67792 – Monica May 15 '12 at 14:14
  • Is it the same with 'I have driven my car' and I have driven my car for ages/ for three years. The first one means he doesn't drive it anymore and the second one means that he may or may be not driving it. Do you agree with it? Or another example; They have been married and they have been married for 6 years. The first example means they are not married anymore and the second one means they are either still married or they are not. – Monica May 15 '12 at 14:30
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    Firstly, for me I have lived there all my life can mean only that I am still living there, not that it is unclear whether I still live there or not. As to I have driven my car, this means that I am not sitting in it now, driving it. I must say, however, that it is an odd statement to come out with spontaneously, although it is possible in answer to the question: What have you done today? - I have driven my car, cut the grass, painted the fence, etc. And it is possible as an unprompted utterance when qualified, as in I've driven my car 5 times today. – Shoe May 15 '12 at 19:56
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    As to I have driven my car for ages/for three years, for me this can mean only that you still have the car and drive it, although you are not necessarily sitting in the car now. Similarly, They have been married, while odd as a spontaneous utterance by itself, means they are no longer married, whereas They have been married for 6 years can mean only that they are still married. – Shoe May 15 '12 at 19:56
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If you wanted to speak about a time that was finished - you could say I had lived there for 3 years before moving...

frank
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