correct verb form [clean the street][are cleaning the street][have cleaned the street]

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correct verb form [clean the street][are cleaning the street][have cleaned the street]

Post by ansonman »

I have made up the sentences below.

(1) (my original sentence) Today is our sixth day of cleaning the street.

(ex) I am trying to rewrite it in a different way, but I am not sure which verb form is correct. I have made my attempts below.

(2) Today is the sixth day we clean the street.
(3) Today is the sixth day we are cleaning the street.
(4) Today is the sixth day we have cleaned the street.

Most of my non-native English speaking friends think (2) and (3) are wrong and (4) is correct. The reason is that the cleaning is not yet done today. You could use (4) if you just finished it today. However, my other friends don't agree. They think (4) applies to any time at which the cleaning is done today, which means "before", "during" or "after" the cleaning takes place today. (They emphasize that." IT HAS TO BE TODAY.")

I am not sure which of my friends are correct. (4) doesn't make sense to me because the present perfect means the cleaning has been done today. What if you want to say those words a few minutes before or during the cleaning process?

Please tell me which sentence means the same thing as my original sentence (1). I am very confused. Thank you for your help and time.
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Re: correct verb form [clean the street][are cleaning the street][have cleaned the street]

Post by Alan »

In BrE, #4 is indeed the standard form for this kind of statement.

It constitutes an exceptional use of the present perfect simple that includes reference to the present time.
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