English Stack community, we're seeking help with an internal debate concerning tense use while considering the desired tone of an article.
In the following sentence, is the use of "we have stood" correct? There is argument that it is the correct present perfect tense and correctly conveys the author's reflective tone; however, others are arguing that this is incorrect:
"My husband and I are diehard Eagles fans. We have stood for hours in a field during the hot California summer just to hear them sing."
I believe that the use of "We have stood … " is correct; however, if my colleagues and I are wrong, I'd love to be proven incorrect in order to bolster my own knowledge going forward.
Best Answer
"We have stood for hours" implies that it was done more than once. If the sentence had read "We stood for hours" it would imply that they did it once. The first sentence is more effective if the writer is trying to underscore that they are "diehard Eagles fans". It's all about the writer's intent.