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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

After and Before

Dear teachers,

I made a few sentences below and need your advice.

Before I got to the computer lab, the class finished.

Before I got to the computer lab, the class had already finished.

When I got to the computer lab, the class finished.

When I got to the computer lab, the class had already finished.

After I got to the computer lab, the class finished.

After I had gone to the computer lab, the class finished.

Many thanks,

LCChang
  

Top answer

As they stand, only # 2 and # 4 are grammatical correct. # 5 and 6 sounded odd. 1 and 3 may be understood in conversation bu they are incorrect grammatically.

— Goodman

  • As they stand, only # 2 and # 4 are grammatical correct.
  • # 5 and 6 sounded odd.
  • 1 and 3 may be understood in conversation bu they are incorrect grammatically.
  • Before I got to the computer lab, the class had already finished.
  • When I got to the computer lab, the class had already finished
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13 Answers
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As they stand, only # 2 and # 4 are grammatical correct. # 5 and 6 sounded odd.

1 and 3 may be understood in conversation bu they are incorrect grammatically.

Before I got to the computer lab, the class had already finished.

When I got to
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Anonymous1- Before I got to the computer lab, the class finished.

2- Before I got to the computer lab, the class had already finished.

3- When I got to the computer lab, the class finished.

4- When I got to the com
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Hi, Goodman,

Why do you think can "after" or "before" not be used with Simple Past + Simple Past?
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GoodmanAs they stand, only # 2 and # 4 are grammatical correct. # 5 and 6 sounded odd.

1 and 3 may be understood in conversation bu they are incorrect grammatically.

Before I got to the computer lab, the class had already finished.

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Diamondrg
Hi, Goodman,

Why do you think can "after" or "before" not be used with Simple Past + Simple Past?

? "It happened long before I was born."

"I put on my coat before I went out."
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They all look grammatically correct to me.

MrP
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I should add that #3 implies: "on my arrival at the lab, the class finished" (i.e. the finishing happened at the same time as the arriving). So it's not a case of "before" or "after", if that's what your exercise involves.

MrP
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MrPedanticThey all look grammatically correct to me.

MrP

I'd say the use of "before" does not always need the present perfect in such sentences. Would you say the same?

"The shop closed before I got there."

"The shop had closed before I got there."

Both uses are easily understood.
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Simple rule to apply here is: 2 past tense verbs, one will be perfect tense.

Now, at the end you have "After I got" and "After I had gone". The first implies you were still in the classroom as it was finishing. The second implies you went, maybe delivered something, and left. Then the class ended. The assumption I have would be that it ended shortly after, but it's not definite. The
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Simple rule to apply here is: 2 past tense verbs, one will be perfect tense.

Now, at the end you have "After I got" and "After I had gone". The first implies you were still in the classroom as it was finishing. The second implies you went, maybe delivered something, and left. Then the class ended.

The assumption I have would be that it ended shortly after, but it's n
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