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Could you tell me if there is any difference in meaning between since when did it become and since when has it become? For example:

Person A: I'm going to the dentist tomorrow. It's such a pleasure.

Person B: Since when did it become a pleasure for you?/Since when has it become a pleasure for you?

Are both perfectly natural in the context?

Dmytro O'Hope
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  • See this NGram usage chart showing that *did it become* and *has it become* are both in common use. – FumbleFingers Apr 16 '21 at 11:45
  • Note that although using *to do* rather than *to have* as the auxiliary verb attached to *become* is perfectly okay in the "inverted sequence" (question-based) context, as in the example here, things aren't the same with the "standard" word order (as used in ordinary statements, with no subject/verb inversion). Thus It has become a pleasure is "normal", but It did become a pleasure only occurs in medieval / poetic contexts, OR as emphatic refutation (to disagree with someone who has just claimed that it *didn't* become a pleasure). – FumbleFingers Apr 16 '21 at 11:52
  • In your exact context there's no scope for the *did / has* choice to affect the meaning, but it's the same basic construction in *Has / Did it become legal to smoke?* In most contexts, the question being asked would be exactly the same regardless of which auxiliary verb was used (if the answer is "Yes", that means it's legal *now). But in principle, the did* version there could be asking whether smoking *was made legal at some point in the past, even if it was subsequently made illegal* again. The *has* version can't carry that sense. – FumbleFingers Apr 16 '21 at 12:09
  • There are tons of answers to the question of simple past versus past perfect. This is just the same thing. – Lambie Apr 16 '21 at 12:49

1 Answers1

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I'm going to the dentist tomorrow. It's such a pleasure.

Since when did it become a pleasure for you?

Since when has it become a pleasure for you?

The present perfect version could be better as we are talking about current situation.

The preposition since in the examples further indicates that the change or adaptation could still be on-going.

If we want to use past tense, in a different situation, it could be

[W]hen did it become a pleasure for you?

The subtle difference between present perfect and past simple is explained below.

Present Perfect Simple Unfinished actions that started in the past and continue to the present

Past Simple Finished actions

https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-perfect-or-past-simple.html

Seowjooheng Singapore
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