Have you been to Africa? I say: I think so, but It must've been a long time ago, be

[B45]

Have you been to Africa? I say:

I think so, but It must've been a long time ago, because I don't remember much of the trip.

Can this be said?

 

[MikeNewYork]

I wouldn't say "I think so". You either have or haven't been to Africa.

Try: "Yes, but it was a long time ago, so I don't remember much about the trip."

 

[B45]

What if you really don't remember?

How about the second and third part of the sentence - It must've been a long time ago, because I don't remember much of the trip.

 

[MikeNewYork]

You would know whether it was a long time ago or not. "Must have" doesn't make sense.

 

[B45]

Why doesn't it make sense?

 

[MikeNewYork]

In that use, "must have been" is an assumption. You would know for certain if it had been a long time ago.

 

[B45]

But what if I truly went to so many places with my parents as a kid that I don't remember if I've been to Africa or not... Kinda like how I've lost track of many places I visited when I was a very young kid 20+ years ago?

 

[Raymott]

I think so, but It must've been a long time ago, because I don't remember much of the trip.

Much of what trip then? The sentence doesn't hang together semantically.
"I remember that our family went on a trip a long time ago, but I don't remember much about it. So I could have gone to Africa."

PS: We crossed in posting. That scenario at least makes sense.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Do you talk to your parents? Could they fill in the details? This whole thread is becoming absurd. A trip that never happened could not have been a long time ago.

 

[TheParser]

What if I truly went to so many places with my parents as a kid that I don't remember.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Hello, Batman:

The following dialogue is based on actual facts in my life of 77 years here in California:


Mona: Have you ever been to Arizona? I'm writing an article for the Senior Citizens [pensioners] Monthly.

James: I don't know.

Mona: What do you mean that you don't know?

James: Well, I think that I remember hearing something about my parents having taken me to Arizona on a short visit when I was an infant. But I certainly do not remember any such visit, and maybe I am even imagining that I ever heard such a thing. Therefore, for all intents and purposes, I can honestly say that I have never been to Arizona.

Mona: OK. I'll report that you have never been to Arizona.

 

[emsr2d2]

If you really can't remember which countries you visited on this imaginary trip, you would say "I might have been to Africa. I'm not sure. I went on a long trip with my parents many years ago but it was so long ago that I can't really remember where we went".

I would find it odd if you didn't even know which continent you went to. It would be understandable if you couldn't remember which individual countries in Africa you visited, I suppose.