If you use a when-indication with "ago" you clearly refer to an event in the past and you use the past tense. If you want to indicate that the opening of the new restaurant is an up-to-date fact you use the Perfect: "My parents have opened a new restaurant" without indicating a time in the past.

Jul 6, 2016 · In reported speech, the speaker changes, so the word ago no longer conveys the correct time. The word ago is therefore changed to earlier or before. On this basis, the word ago in your example references the present (time) of the speaker of the sentence. Since you indicate that the full sentence was uttered in 2016, the time two years ago ...

Feb 22, 2023 · One outlier from 1995 (in a periodical called Strides), however, pegs the best time at five years ago, the second best as now, and the worst at "three years from now." Another source (McHenry's Quips, Quotes and Other Notes [1999]) argues for ten years ago. Yet another (Urban Forestry [1991]) pushes the ideal planting time back to fifty years ago.

That's when we first met many, many moons ago and then we started having him on as a regular guest maybe once a month, maybe even twice a month. When I Googled "origin of ‘many moons ago’" the only relevant page I found was Yahoo! Answers whose best answer was: “many moons ago means a long time ago” But a second commenter said:

Aug 11, 2011 · I understand the use of circa / c. as it applies to approximating dates. However, I have a writer who (over)uses the word in other contexts. Examples: ... from circa early 1990s up until circa 8 y...

Mar 18, 2013 · Both sentences communicate the facts that you started working here twenty years ago, worked here over the course of the past twenty years, and that your status of working here has not changed. The difference is one of emphasis. The lyrics from the old song, I've been working on the railroad all the live-long day.

Jul 1, 2012 · Possible Duplicate: “Did it close” vs “Has it closed”? As a English non-native speaker it is difficult for me to understand when I must use present perfect or past simple

Asked 12 years, 2 months ago. Modified 8 years, 1 month ago. Viewed 24k times 9 . Do yesterday ...

I've always thought I should use "for ages" when, for example, I meet a person who I haven't seen for a long time, but recently I came across another expression, "in ages," as in "I haven't seen yo...

Feb 10, 2020 · I have HAD a book. (I open the time frame. I consider the Present and the Past, some 20 years ago.) I have HAD the book replaced. (My time frame is open.) I HAD the book replaced. (My time frame is closed on the Past.) This way, we learn about the structure of language, not select patterns only. If you would be interested, step-by-step: CHAPTER 6.