Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[syoshioka99]

"Is that Italian restaurant next to the bookstore new?"
"No, I think ( ) for more than a year now."
(1)it's been open (2) it's open (3) it's opened (4) it was open

(question)

The answer is (1). Why not (3)? Could you please exlplain it to me in a gramatical way?


Satoru

Tochigi, Japan

[alan.es]

The difference is between the two different verbal constructions 'to open' and 'to be open', I think, rather than a tense problem.


'To be open' answers questions about the restaurant's timetable - the hours in the day when it is open or which particular days, etc.

'To open' answers questions about either the formal first opening of the restaurant or the moment in each day when the manager opens the doors to let customers in.

The answer is indicating that customers have been eating in the restaurant for more than a year rather than the manager or owner taking a year to actually open the doors

I'm not sure about my grammatical reasons but hope it helps

[syoshioka99]

The answer is indicating that customers have been eating in the restaurant for more than a year rather than the manager or owner taking a year to actually open the doors

Regarding your comment above, if I choose 2) it indicates that the
manager or owner taking a year to actually open the doors???

Satoru

Tochigi, Japan

[alan.es]

Sorry, silly little joke. It doesn't mean that they took a year to open them.

[syoshioka99]

Is that Italian restaurant next to the bookstore new?"
"No, I think ( ) for more than a year now."
(1)it's been open (2) it's open (3) it's opened (4) it was open

(question)

The answer is (1). Why not (2) (instead of (3))? Could you please exlplain it to me in a gramatical way?


I corrected the question I want you to answer.

[alan.es]

In English we use the present perfect tense to describe actions which began in the past and have continued until the present so:

It has been open - is the correct version.