It's (been) two weeks since he went to America.

S

sitifan

Senior Member
Taiwan
Hokkien & Mandarin Chinese
1. Two weeks have passed since he went to America.
2. It's been two weeks since he went to America.
3. It's two weeks since he went to America.
What's the difference in meaning or style among the above sentences?
 
    • Are the sentences below acceptable to native speakers?
    4. Two weeks have passed since he's gone to America.
    5. It's been two weeks since he's gone to America.
    6. It's two weeks since he's gone to America.
     
    sitifan said:
    Are the sentences below acceptable to native speakers?
    4. Two weeks have passed since he's gone to America.
    5. It's been two weeks since he's gone to America.
    6. It's two weeks since he's gone to America.
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    I can't speak for anybody else, but those sentences sound a little off to me. I understand what they mean, but I don't care much for your use of he's gone.
     
    velisarius said:
    The first three seem perfectly normal to me. The second set doesn't.
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    According to the Cambridge Dictionaries link below, the second set seems grammatically correct, too.
    Since
    We can use the past simple, present perfect or past perfect after since with the expression it + be + time + since:
    It’s been years since I rode a bike. (it’s = it has)
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    It’s been years since I’ve ridden a bike. (it’s = it has)
    Click to expand...
    It’s years since I rode a bike. (it’s = it is)
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    It’s years since I’ve ridden a bike. (it’s = it is)
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    It’d been years since I’d ridden a bike. (it’d = it had)
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    Last edited by a moderator:
    As Owlman points out, the problem (if one exists) is with "has gone", not the construction itself.

    It's two weeks since he went to America. :tick:
    It's two weeks that he's been gone.:tick:
    It's two weeks since he's gone to America.:thumbsdown:
     
    I don't see how you can use "gone" if you specify the time the action took place. You can say "He's gone to America" (meaning that he went to America at some unspecified time in the past and remains there) but, if you specify the time, you have to use the simple past: "It's been two weeks since he went to America".

    It's the same as, for example:
    A: Where's John?
    B: He's gone to lunch.
    A: When did he go?
    B: He went 10 minutes ago.
     
    Aguas Claras said:
    I don't see how you can use "gone" if you specify the time the action took place. You can say "He's gone to America" (meaning that he went to America at some unspecified time in the past and remains there) but, if you specify the time, you have to use the simple past: "It's been two weeks since he went to America".
    Click to expand...
    In post #9, the sentences below are acceptable, aren't they?
    It’s been years since I’ve ridden a bike. (it’s = it has)
    It’s years since I’ve ridden a bike. (it’s = it is)
     
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