Unit 8: over
during the last
month, week, year…
in past
We often use the expressions over the last…,
in the last…, and during the last… with the present
perfect to talk about a state (心情, estado de ánimo, душевное
состояние, حالة), an action, or event
(发生的事情, acontecimientos,
событие, حدث) in a time period that has begun and not yet finished.
Sometimes we say the past instead of the last.
1. Over
the last (or the past) six months, he has
lost all of his baby teeth and (he has) started
to walk.
2. Over
the last (or the past) year, my son has
graduated from high school and (he has) gone
to college.
3. In
the last week, she has cut
herself three times while cooking. She needs to be more careful.
4. In
the past two months, I have
filled out 30 job applications!
Important!
Remember that the time
period connects to the present, not always the action or events. For
example, in #1 above, the boy did not continually (不 停 地, continuamente,
непрерывно, постоянно, باستمرار ، إلى ما
لا نهاية) lose his teeth. He lost one tooth, then another, and then
another. Each of these actions happened and ended, but the time period (over the last six months) continues
to the present. In #4, you filled out one application. You finished filling it
out. You filled out another. The action or event ended, but the time period (in the last two months) connects to the
present.
6 5 4 3 2 1 now
January February
March April May June July August September Mar. 3 & Mar. 30 May 15 July 20 August 4
It's September now. In the last six
months (in the time between March and now), the baby has lost all of his teeth.
He lost a tooth on March 3 and March 30. He lost some more on May 15. He lost
even more on July 20, and he lost the rest on August 4. The time period
connects to now.
Note: Over
the last and in the last
use the perfect when the time period extends to the present. Last
week, last year, last month, etc., use past tense. (You
cannot say Past year/Past week, I quit my job.)
5. Over the last month, I have missed work twice.
(It’s
May now. I missed work on May 5 and again on May 12. It’s still May. The month
is not finished. Use present perfect.)
6. Last month, I
missed work twice. (Note: You cannot say past here. Wrong: Past month, I missed...)
(It’s
July now. I was absent from work on June 15 and June 16. June is over. Use past tense.)
7. In the last year (or over the past year), he has grown six inches, and his voice has gotten
lower!
(For
example, it’s March 31 now. Between March of last year and now, he has grown
six inches. Use present perfect.)
8. Last year in 9th grade, she got straight A’s on her report card.
(She’s
in 10th grade this year. Last year is a definite time in the past, and it’s
over. Use past tense.)
9. In the last month of his life, he
wrote a new will. (遗嘱,
testamento, завещание, وصية)
(He’s
not alive anymore. The period does not continue into the present. Use past
tense.)
