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I visited Kyoto before

hirashin

Sempai
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8 Apr 2004
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Hello, native English speakers,
I have a question.
Do you use all of these sentences?
(a1) I have visited Kyoto before.
(a2) I visited Kyoto before.
(b1) I have visited Kyoto recently.
(b2) I visited Kyoto recently.
(c1) I have just visited Kyoto.
(c2) I just visited Kyoto.

Thanks in advance.
Hirashin
 
a1 and b1 better than a2 and b2 and are probably the grammatically correct answers. I imagine many people use both though I really don't like c2 though because 'just' also means 'only'. However, if you use 'I have just visited Kyoto' it is clear that you mean `-ta bakari' not 'dake'. I think most native speakers would use c1 not c2.
 
In all, replace I have with I've, and they all sound okay.

Again, they lack context, and different people will create (or not) suitable contexts for them.
 
Thanks, johnnyG.
Is there a difference in meaning between (1a) and (1b), for example?
 
Thanks, johnnyG.
Is there a difference in meaning between (1a) and (1b), for example?

Come on...! You should understand by now (and at you level of English), that context is important.

You are offering relatively short sentences, and then asking whether those sentences are right/wrong or whatever.

Language doesn't work that way.

In answers to your questions, I'm generally a lax/generous person, who will try to find ways in which what you have asked/written may be correct.

Others may object, using more strict standards than I do.
 
Like JohnnyG said the context matters. For example if you ask, "Have you visited any cities in Japan before?" both (a1) and (a2) are correct in answering that question. If you were asked, "Have you visited Kyoto before?" then (a1) sounds natural as an answer where (a2) would sound odd or incorrect.
 
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