For the whole period of two months, there was no r...

Question

For the whole period of two months, there was no rain in this area.
vs
For the whole period of two months, there has been no rain in this area.

Thought

Explaining past simple vs present perfect

The difference between the sentences comes down to the tenses used. The first one, using the past simple ("was"), implies that the two-month period is now over. The present perfect ("has been") in the second sentence suggests the period includes the present, indicating the condition may still be happening.

Improving phrasing

“For the whole period of two months” sounds a bit unnatural; “for two whole months” or “for two months straight” might be clearer. In contrast, "There has been no rain here for two months" uses the present perfect, suggesting the situation continues. "This area" vs "here" also changes phrasing slightly.

Clarifying usage differences

Both sentences are grammatically correct, but the choice depends on the context. "There was no rain from June to July" highlights a past, completed action. "There has been no rain since June" implies the situation is ongoing. Using time markers like "from June to July" and "since June" helps clarify this. The phrase "for the whole period of two months" could be simplified to "for two whole months" or "throughout the two months."

Clarifying tense usage

The present perfect can't be used with finished time points like "in 2019," but "for two months" is a duration that works with it. For clarity, use "for two months last summer" when referring to the past. Also, American English often prefers the simple past ("didn't rain for two months"), while British English may favor present perfect for current relevance.

Thought for 19s

Answer

Both are grammatical—the tense changes the time frame.

“There was no rain …” (past simple)
A finished, past two-month span. It does not include today.
Ex: “There was no rain in this area for two months last summer.”
“There has been no rain …” (present perfect)
A two-month span that reaches up to now—the dry spell is ongoing.
Ex: “There has been no rain in this area for two months.”

Stylistically, “for the whole period of two months” is wordy. More natural options:

“for two months,” “for two whole months,” or “for the entire two-month period.”
Also common: “It didn’t rain here for two months.” (past) / “It hasn’t rained here for two months.” (ongoing)

Quick rule of thumb:

Use past simple with a finished time: in 2023, from May to July 2021.
Use present perfect with open-ended duration or since: “There hasn’t been any rain since June 24.”