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Newguest Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
2 questions
Hello
I have two questions.
1. When I first met Jenny, she had been working for ten years as a doctor in hospital. --- Can I write: "....she was working..." I think that the word "first" indicates that it happened earlier, so there is no need for the past perfect tense in my opinion?
2. The house was dirty. They hadn’t cleaned it for weeks. --- Personally I would prefer to write: "They hadn’t been cleaning it for weeks." Do you agree? Which version is better?
Thanks
I have two questions.
1. When I first met Jenny, she had been working for ten years as a doctor in hospital. --- Can I write: "....she was working..." I think that the word "first" indicates that it happened earlier, so there is no need for the past perfect tense in my opinion?
2. The house was dirty. They hadn’t cleaned it for weeks. --- Personally I would prefer to write: "They hadn’t been cleaning it for weeks." Do you agree? Which version is better?
Thanks
Top answer
Newguest 1. When I first met Jenny, she had been working for ten years as a doctor in hospital . she was working...
- Newguest 1.
- When I first met Jenny, she had been working for ten years as a doctor in hospital .
- she was working...
- " I think that the word "first" indicates that it happened earlier, so there is no need for the past perfect tense in my opinion?
- No, you can't write When I first met her, she was working for ten years ...
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4 Answers
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Newguest1. When I first met Jenny, she had been working for ten years as a doctor in hospital. --- Can I write: "..she was working..." I think that the word "first" indicates that it happened earlier, so there is no need for the past perfect tense in my opinion?No, you can't write
When I first met her, she was working for ten year
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Newguest2. The house was dirty. They hadn’t cleaned it for weeks. --- Personally I would prefer to write: "They hadn’t been cleaning it for weeks." Do you agree? Which version is better?No, I don't agree. The first version is better.
You took a look at the house and you stated your opinion, saying what you believe was the cause of what you
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Hi
So, I understand that the past perfect is correct in the first example.
By the way, does the "she was working" refer to the present? I've read somewhere that it does. It was strange to me because it's the PAST continuous tense, it's not a present tense?
So, I understand that the past perfect is correct in the first example.
By the way, does the "she was working" refer to the present? I've read somewhere that it does. It was strange to me because it's the PAST continuous tense, it's not a present tense?
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Newguest..."she was working" refer to the present? I've read somewhere that it does.Really? I'm not familiar with that usage. Post the source of that information and/or quote it here if you can find it again. Thanks!
CJ
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