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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

always a past perfect?

Hi,
Can you tell me if the existence of these phrases makes it necessary to have a past perfect always, sometimes, or never?

in the past/previous/prior four years
for the past/previous/prior four years
since the past/previous/prior four years
  

Top answer

I'd say it's "sometimes" for all the nine phrases. Each of them can be used in a present or past context. And in the latter case they may require the Past Perfect: "In 1998 I finally got me a 486 computer.

— Ant_222

  • I'd say it's "sometimes" for all the nine phrases.
  • Each of them can be used in a present or past context.
  • And in the latter case they may require the Past Perfect: "In 1998 I finally got me a 486 computer.
  • "
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1 Answers
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I'd say it's "sometimes" for all the nine phrases. Each of them can be used in a present or past context. And in the latter case they may require the Past Perfect:

"In 1998 I finally got me a 486 computer. In the previous four years I had had a Spectrum, 286 and 386."
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