By noon, I cleaned/had cleaned up my room.
The other day I participated in a test, which was conducted by a group named 'English teachers' on Facebook. This was one of their questions "By noon, I.................. up my room." (had cleaned, cleaned). I choose "cleaned" and filled up that blank as "By noon, I cleaned up my room." as I couldn't see any past of the past there. But they answered that "By noon, I had cleaned up my room." was the correct answer. Their explanation for this was (* To describe an action which was completed before a specific point of time, in the past. In this sentence my specific time is BY NOON.) I would like to get your opinion on this.
Thank you.
Top answer
The teachers are correct. The key is the preposition "by", which directly specifies an ending time of the task of cleaning. Other time expressions, which do not have such a specification do not mandate the past perfect.
- The teachers are correct.
- The key is the preposition "by", which directly specifies an ending time of the task of cleaning.
- Other time expressions, which do not have such a specification do not mandate the past perfect.
- At noon, I cleaned up my room.
- - past tense.
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The teachers are correct.
The key is the preposition "by", which directly specifies an ending time of the task of cleaning. Other time expressions, which do not have such a specification do not mandate the past perfect.
At noon, I cleaned up my room. - past tense.
Sometime before noon, I (had) cleaned up my room. (either one is ok)
By noon,
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