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English 1b3 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Analysis of Past Perfect and Past Simple
a. George hadn't heard about the movie.
b. George didn't hear about the movie.
c. George had eaten a bowl of icecream.
d. George ate a bowel of icecream.
Is this the correct analysis of tenses?
The past perfect expresses an indefinite time and expresses that George heard of the movie sometime after that and that George ate the icecream before doing something else, which is not mentioned.
The past simple expresses a definite time and doesn't refer to any other times.
Thank you.
b. George didn't hear about the movie.
c. George had eaten a bowl of icecream.
d. George ate a bowel of icecream.
Is this the correct analysis of tenses?
The past perfect expresses an indefinite time and expresses that George heard of the movie sometime after that and that George ate the icecream before doing something else, which is not mentioned.
The past simple expresses a definite time and doesn't refer to any other times.
Thank you.
Top answer
I don't see that either time is more definite, since none is mentioned in any of the sentences. And the past perfect is invalid without the mention somewhere of that other action.
- I don't see that either time is more definite, since none is mentioned in any of the sentences.
- And the past perfect is invalid without the mention somewhere of that other action.
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3 Answers
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I don't see that either time is more definite, since none is mentioned in any of the sentences. And the past perfect is invalid without the mention somewhere of that other action.
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Mister MicawberI don't see that either time is more definite, since none is mentioned in any of the sentences
Um, didn't hear is a specific/definite time...It is a specific time in the past, and you could add a time adverbial after it unlike with the past perfect which can't include a time adverbial, can it?. Isn't this right?
Mister Mica
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Well, then 'didn't hear' and 'hadn't heard' are both specific times in the past (of something that didn't happen!)
Adding a time adverbial:
I didn't hear by noon yesterday (?)
I hadn't heard by noon yesterday(?)
(I don't think we're getting anywhere with this thread now.)
Adding a time adverbial:
I didn't hear by noon yesterday (?)
I hadn't heard by noon yesterday(?)
(I don't think we're getting anywhere with this thread now.)
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