V 了 + duration + (object/state) marks that an action/state has lasted for a period up to reference time.
Duration-through-now reading - action/state persists over span
Combines completion marker with time span - event began earlier and extends
High-frequency timeline expression - habits, waiting, residence, etc.
See examples below for varied real-world usage.
Duration phrase is essential
- It quantifies how long the situation lasted.
Interpretation depends on verb type
- Dynamic vs stative verbs behave differently.
Avoid mixing incompatible time adverbs
- Keep temporal logic consistent.
I have lived here for three years.
He waited for half an hour.
We discussed for two hours.
This issue dragged on for a long time before being solved.
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