Has been dead?

Question

My classamtes had some questions that I have to give them the answer tomorrow.
First, there was a sentence like this:

"Is that Jane's husband in the blue shirt over there?"
"That can't be him! He has been dead for ages!"

The question is, is it okay to use present perfect tense for someone who was dead long ago? If someone was gone, that was something happened in the past; how can people use present perfect tense in that case?

The second question I want to ask is: Is there any difference between these 2 sentences:
"Twenty minutes is not enough to do homework everyday"
"Twenty minutes is not enough time to do homework everyday"

"Twenty minutes" is already used to indicate a period of time, so is it okay to use time after "not enough " again?

Please help me get the answers for those questions.
Thanks in advance.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

MinzeyHe has been dead for ages!

This is correct. He is still dead, even now. The state of his being dead has lasted from the moment he died until now. I don't expect it will ever change.

-- Where is Charles?
-- He has gone to the supermarket.
-- How long has he been away?
-- He has been away for an hour. (He left an hour ago. He is still away.)

-- I was born 25 years ago.
-- Then you have been alive for 25 years. (You are still alive.)

-- Susan has been here for two hours, waiting for you. ( She arrived here two hours ago. She is still here.)

-- Bart has been sick for two weeks. (He became sick two weeks ago. He is still sick.)

-- That abandoned building has been empty for years. (It was abandoned years ago. It is still empty.)

-- That monument has been on Main Street for two centuries. (It was placed on Main Street two centuries ago. It is still there.)

MinzeyTwenty minutes is not enough time to do homework everyday

You may include "time", or you may omit it. Either way is fine.

CJ

Has been dead?

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