Answer to English Grammar Question 6853
Question from Sahra in Brazil:
What’s the difference between these sentences:
“I’m married for 3 years” and “I’ve been married for 3 years”?
From member: Sahra in Brazil
Answer
Hi Sahra. This is a very quick one to answer as we have answered a lot of other questions about this subject and have sections of the English4Today Grammar on it as well.
When you see ‘for‘ with a period or duration of time - as in ‘for three years‘ or ‘for a long time‘ or ‘for two days‘ then you know that the verb will be in the Present Perfect.
We use the Present Perfect when we are talking about something started in the past and continuing in the present.
The structure of the the Present Perfect is:
SUBJECT + HAVE/HAS + PAST PARTICIPLE OF VERB
I + HAVE + BEEN MARRIED + FOR TEN YEARS
Your first sentence is therefore not correct and the second one is correct.
Take a look at these references and explanations: ·
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