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Hanuman_2000 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

ago/before

Hello,

1. He had gone to Egypt six weeks before.

2. He had gone to Egypt six weeks ago.

I wnat to know that why (2) is wrong. I am confused as I think that "ago" also indicate about the action happened in the far passed like "before".

Please help me how to interpret the meaning of ago and before?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Hi, 1. He had gone to Egypt six weeks before. 'Before' means before a point in time.

— Clive

  • Hi, 1.
  • He had gone to Egypt six weeks before.
  • 'Before' means before a point in time.
  • The Past Perfect means that point was in the past.
  • So, these two things are OK together in the sentence.
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3 Answers
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Hi,

1. He had gone to Egypt six weeks before. 'Before' means before a point in time. The Past Perfect means that point was in the past. So, these two things are OK together in the sentence.

2. He had gone to Egypt six weeks ago. 'Ago' means before now, before the present. The Past Perfect means before a point in the past.
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Hello Clive,

Now , I will try to interpret your answers.

"before" means We are in past and raking about something happned before, so it would be in Past perfect.

"ago", we are in present and taking about something that happened in the past so "Simple Past".

Am I correct?

Thanks.
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