I was on holiday/ I have been on holiday (2025)

Hey,

Why do you say I have been on holiday instead of I was on holiday? Since the holiday is over now, it's a duration started and completed in the past... so I would take the past simple like they explain on Englishpage.com?

But it seems to be have been? So where is the reason?

I formed these sentences to make my point clearer? are they correct?

I have been on holiday twice this year.
I was on holiday 2 weeks ago.
I haven't been on holiday for 2 years now!
I have been on holiday since a week now, I will stay another one!
(I have been staying here since a week now, I will stay another one!)

You are speaking from the perspective of the present. If you say "I went on holiday" this is a statement wholly about the past and if you are speaking now you would add a time (e.g. I went to Egypt in 1965).
There may be a better explanation.

Your sentences are ok, except you have confused "since + date/month etc." (since February) with "for + duration" (for a week).

Ah, okay, so I have been on holiday does refer to a past action that was completed in the past. But you don't use a past time indicator like 2 weeks ago since it doesn't matter when - the specific time is not important? BUT you have a specific holiday in mind?

How do you ask then? When did you go on holiday? (want to know the exact date) and Have you been on holiday (recently)? (if he has been on holiday ... doesn't matter when...)

A: What have you been up to?
B: I've been on holiday.

A: What have you been up to?
B: I went on holiday. [possible, but A may be thinking of several things that he

. A would also probably say where (e.g. to Spain) or when (last week).

A: What have you been up to?
B: *I have been on holiday last week. [impossible because there is a time phrase]

KonradBade said:

Hey,

Why do you say I have been on holiday instead of I was on holiday? Since the holiday is over now, it's a duration started and completed in the past... so I would take the past simple like they explain on Englishpage.com?

See Also

in/during/on summer vacationin / at / on holiday [+holidays]'there are holidays' or 'it's holidays'?I am looking forward to going/to go.

But it seems to be have been? So where is the reason?

I formed these sentences to make my point clearer? are they correct?

1. I have been on holiday twice this year.
2. I was on holiday 2 weeks ago.
3. I haven't been on holiday for 2 years now!
4. I have been on holiday since a week now, I will stay another one!
5. (I have been staying here since a week now, I will stay another one!)

Click to expand...

We use different tenses according to different contexts. For example, sentences 1, 2 or 3 could be used as answers to the question:

(i) - Have you been on holiday this year?

However, in response to a different question only certain answers would be relevant. For example:

(ii) - When did you find time to redecorate your house?

Only 2, the past simple tense, would be a relevant answer because the present perfect tense (I have been) indicates that I went away on holiday while the simple "was" indicates only that I had time off work. Questions (i) and (ii) change/clarify the meaning of sentence 2.

e2efour said:

A: What have you been up to?
B: I've been on holiday.

A: What have you been up to?
B: I went on holiday. [possible, but A may be thinking of several things that he

did

. A would also probably say where (e.g. to Spain) or when (last week).

A: What have you been up to?
B: *I have been on holiday last week. [impossible because there is a time phrase]

Click to expand...

In your 2nd example, did you mean B would say where and
when? Like e.g. "I went on holiday 2 weeks ago. This year, I went to Spain." (are the commas, right here?) The question here would be: Where/ When have you been on holiday or where/ When did you go on holiday?
So, if I just want to keep it general I say "I have been on holiday." even if I mean a specific holiday (the last one)?

Sentence 3 and 4 are correct if I change since to for? So the continuous is right there?!

I have been on holiday twice this year.

OK - but what has that got to do with the present, NOW?
This job is really getting to me. I have been/I've been on holiday twice this year, to have a break from it, but I'm going to need a third if I'm to make Christmas without cracking up.

Can you see that with the Present Perfect, there is a link to NOW, and perhaps the future?
Remember: with Present Perfect, the speaker is looking back in time, over a period of time that has elapsed.

.........<1st...........2nd.............>NOW.......................Christmas
where <> indicates the period of time from the first holiday, up to NOW

I haven't been on holiday for 2 years, and I can't see myself being able to get away anytime this year either.

I was on holiday 2 months ago.
........................H................NOW
where H indicates a point in time where this event (the holiday) is located.

MilkyBarKid said:

I have been on holiday twice this year.

OK - but what has that got to do with the present, NOW?
This job is really getting to me. I have been/I've been on holiday twice this year, to have a break from it, but I'm going to need a third if I'm to make Christmas without cracking up.

I haven't been on holiday for 2 years, and I can't see myself being able to get away anytime this year either.

Can you see that with the Present Perfect, there is a link to NOW, and perhaps the future?

Click to expand...

I really don't know what you want me to say... do mean it's wrong to use the present perfect with these sentences?

It's refering to the content on Englishpage.com:

• I have been to France.
  This sentence means that you have had the experience of being in France. Maybe you have been there once, or several times.
• I have been to France three times.
  You can add the number of times at the end of the sentence.

We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.

But my question was why you say "I have been on holiday" and not "I was on holiday/ I went on holiday"...

or why you say "Have you been to a language travel to US or UK?" BUT "Did you visit a place that you have never seen before"
why do you use the present perfect in the first sentence? why not "Did you go on a language travel to US or UK?"

and the if the question is "When/where did you go?" or "Where/When have you been on holiday?"

I was making no comment about when NOT to use the tense. I took your sentences and added a context in which they might be said.

I was showing the difference between Present Perfect, and Simple Past, where the speaker either feels remote, distant from a complete and finished event in the past - Past Simple -
"I went to France once, and would never go back. What rude people."

or
the speaker sees a connection to his current life.

'I have been to France, and would really like to go back for a longer stay."
"I've been to France. Let's go to Germany instead." (The implication here is, "I've been to France and I don't want to go back again this year - I want to visit another European country instead.)

So why do you say "I have been on holiday" then? where is the connection to the present? It's done... so...?

and what do you say to the questions: "When/where did you go?" or "Where/When have you been on holiday?"

Ah, you edited it. I think I've understood your point now!

"Have you been on holiday this summer?" -> means from the beginning of the summer until NOW (summer is almost over now). Period of time up to now -> present perfect

"Did you go on holiday this summer?" Now it 's winter, so you are asking about the past -> simple past

"Did you visit a place you have never seen before?" -> implies that you either did or not... the time period to do it is over... so your holiday is over NOW.

"Have you visited a place you have never seen before?" -> means until now, you have still time to visit one until your holidays are over. So you still have holidays!

"Where/When have you been on holiday?" -> in your whole life -> a answer you expect could be like: I have been to france once, to australia twice and I've been to London a thousand times!

"Where/ When did you go on holiday?" -> You know the person you are asking has been on holiday, therefore, you are asking for Information about that specific holiday!

"I have been on holiday!" -> means recently... I don't want to tell you the exact date
"I went (on holiday) to London in June. But not "I have been to London in June."

Am I right?

KonradBade said:

Hey,

Why do you say I have been on holiday instead of I was on holiday? Since the holiday is over now, it's a duration started and completed in the past... so I would take the past simple like they explain on Englishpage.com?

But it seems to be have been? So where is the reason?

I formed these sentences to make my point clearer? are they correct?

I have been on holiday twice (so far) this year.
I was on holiday 2 weeks ago.
I haven't been on holiday for 2 years now!
I have been on holiday since a week now, I will stay another one!
Correction: I've been here on holiday/I've been staying here for a week now. I will stay for another week.
(I have been staying here since a week now, I will stay another one!)

Click to expand...

By George, have you got it! = yes, you are absolutely right.

(The 'edit' is really me saving, proofreading, seeing what now doesn't seem as clear as it could be, re-writing and saving....>>>>>>

One thing:
"I have been on holiday!" -> means recently... I don't want to tell you the exact date

OK -try using those exact words, and - (you DO want to tell the person an exact date)- so, add that information.

Look forward to your sentence.

KonradBade said:

Hey,

Why do you say I have been on holiday instead of I was on holiday? Since the holiday is over now, it's a duration started and completed in the past... so I would take the past simple like they explain on Englishpage.com?

QUOTE]

MilkyBarKid explains this well above. You use the present perfect tense here because you are just giving general information (that you have been on holiday)

without specifying exactly when

, where, etc. Compare, for example: I have been on holiday once this year (no further information given) with I was on holiday in Mexico last month.

Click to expand...

MilkyBarKid said:

By George, have you got it! = yes, you are absolutely right.

(The 'edit' is really me saving, proofreading, seeing what now doesn't seem as clear as it could be, re-writing and saving....>>>>>>

One thing:
"I have been on holiday!" -> means recently... I don't want to tell you the exact date

OK -try using those exact words, and - (you DO want to tell the person an exact date)- so, add that information.

Look forward to your sentence.

Click to expand...

I guess you have to say: "I have been on holiday this year. I went to Spain from 6th of June until the 15th. It was great!"

Is this the sentence you were aiming for?

(I am right about this, too?: "I went (on holiday) to London in June. But not "I have been to London in June.")

KonradBade said:

I guess you have to say: "I have been on holiday this year. I went to Spain from 6th of June until the 15th. It was great!"

Is this the sentence you were aiming for?

(I am right about this, too?: "I went (on holiday) to London in June. But not "I have been to London in June.")

Click to expand...

Perfect - you've got it