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Let me confirm my understanding.

(1) I have been working for the last/past five years. (correct)

(2) I have been working for these five years. (incorrect)

(3) I have been working these five years. (correct but archaic)

Is this understanding correct? Are there other expressions corresponding to (1)?

Thanks in advance.

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  • 1
    What do those symbols in parentheses mean? Correct, incorrect?
    – Nathan Tuggy
    Commented Jul 1, 2015 at 10:10
  • cross (x), in any language is 'incorrect'... correct me if my opinion is 'incorrect!' :P
    – Maulik V
    Commented Jul 1, 2015 at 10:30
  • I'm so sorry. I edited my post.
    – user21008
    Commented Jul 1, 2015 at 10:50
  • 2
    All three examples seem to sound okay to my ear. I don't understand why any of them would need to be marked as "archaic". Perhaps in a specific context, then the versions could be marked as to their level of acceptability. Also, I can easily see someone saying, "I have been working for these last five years", and I would consider that to be okay too.
    – F.E.
    Commented Jul 1, 2015 at 17:10

2 Answers 2

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1

That understanding is correct. You can also say "I have been working for five years," and it is implied that it is referring to the most recent five years.

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0

All three are acceptable to me. In my experience as an American English speaker, 2 and 3 are not very common. Another simple and direct way to put it would be "I have been working for five years."

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