I have been with team-A since May, 2004 - Is this correct?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Can any one tell me which one is the correct one:

“I have been with team-A since May, 2004”
While telling about my experience, i told like this. Is this correct?

2.“Bush WAS invited Barack and McCain to discuss about $700 bailout package”.
Here, the usage of “WAS” is incorrect. Am i right?

Correct: “Bush HAS invited Barack and McCain to discuss about $700 bailout package”.

OR

Correct: "Yesterday,Bush invited Barack and McCain to discuss about $700 bailout package ".

  1. Have you been here long? - Is this correct sentence.

Thanks,
Suresh

2

Hi Suresh

I’d say the comma is not necessary. Is “team-A” a proper name?

  • “I have been with Team-A since May 2004.”

Yes

Yes, both of those sentences are correct in terms of verb tense.

However, saying “discuss about” is generally considered to be an error. Generally speaking, you can say either “discuss” OR “talk about”, but not “discuss about”. You should also add either “a” or “the” before “$700 bailout package”.

Yes, sentence 3 is fine.

3

have you been here long?
how long have you been here?
the first sentence is a tab weird

4

Hi Davy

The question “Have you been here long?” is not at all weird. In fact, I’d say it’s quite normal. In informal conversation, it would also be common to hear that question with the words “have” or “have you” omitted:

  • “You been here long?”
  • “Been here long?”
    .
5

Hello Yankee-

Praising again and again you seems little bit auckward, i think.
So, from now on, i say simply - Thank you Yankee.
But, don’t forget that, you have helped me a lot / have helped me in a great detail, really.

Thanks,
Suresh - A student.

6

.
Well, OK-- then you can praise me for a while, Suresh.

Praising you again and again seems little bit awkward, I think, so from now on I’ll say simply, “Thank you, Yankee!” But I won’t forget that you have really helped me a lot.
.

7

have you been here long?

should be
“have you been here for a long?” as “long” is a noun. am i right?

8

.
Sorry, you are wrong. The original sentence is right. Long is an adverb meaning ‘for a long time’.
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9

Certainly!
I should praise you too.
How could I foget your help?

I am just curious - “in a great detail” should be used in written english?

10

.
Not necessarily, but the phrase is ‘in great detail’ (no ‘a’) and its meaning seems to me inappropriate with ‘help’ here.
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11

Hi Suresh

You’re welcome, and thank you very much for your kind words.

As regards “in a great detail”, I agree with Mister Micawber that the fixed expression you need is “in great detail”. Although I understood what you meant, it would perhaps be more natural to say that someone “has answered a question in great detail” or possibly that someone “has provided detailed help”.
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