Learn English – Implication of “for a half year”

sentence-usage

In a conversation with one of my friends, I said:

I have been working at XXX company for a half year.

In fact, I was trying to convey I have been in this position for half a year and I'm still there now.

Well, what turns out is, the sentence made him feel I was not working at the XXX company any longer as the time I said it.

In the end, he corrected me with "I have been working at XXX corporation for half of a year.".

I am unsure if "for a half year" in the sentence has that implication?

Also, I am wondering what the correct way to express the ideas/implications:

  1. I have been working at XXX company for some years, and I have left/am leaving now.
  2. I have been working at XXX company for some years, and I am still working there.

Best Answer

I have been working at XXX company for a half year.

According to half-year, it seems to be commonly used as a hyphenated modifier, not a standalone noun.
By saying:

I have been working at XXX corporation for half of a year.

you break up the phrase into a fraction and a noun. So this version is OK.
As an option, to me (AmE), I would consider this more natural:

I have been working at XXX corporation for half a year.

I don't know if there is a grammatical basis for "half a year", but if you say "for half of a year" really fast, you're likely to drop the of.

In the case where you worked there in the past and it already ended, then:

I had been working at XXX company for half a year, (but I left because my boss was irrational).

In the case where you worked there in the past but it is just ending now, then:

I have been working at XXX company for half a year, but I am leaving because my boss is irrational. (this one requires additional context)

In the case where you worked there in the past and are still working there, then:

I have been working at XXX company for half a year.

"half a year" by itself only indicates a period of time.

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