[didn't visit the park] /[hadn't visited the park] for a long time

Question

I have made up the sentences below.(1) I didn't visit the park for a long time. When I went there last week, it looked very different.(2) I hadn't visited the park for a long time. When I went there last week, it looked very different.Most of my friends think either tense works. But, the rest think (1) sounds better because it's consistent with the tense in the second sentence.Which one is correct? Thank you very much.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

ansonguy
I have made up the sentences below.
(1) I didn't visit the park for a long time. When I went there last week, it looked very different.
(2) I hadn't visited the park for a long time. When I went there last week, it looked very different.
Most of my friends think either tense works.

I agree. Both are OK. Nevertheless, I think (2) is preferable.

The negation means "not visiting the park" lasted until last week because you mention going there last week. But last week is in the past, and that's the time that you can use as an anchor point for the use of the past perfect.

Besides, when you say "didn't visit for a long time", it suggests that the long time is finished, and you have been visiting there again. But then the next sentence says it was only last week that you went back to visit once again, which is a bit confusing. To my ear, it's the negation of the first action that complicates the analysis. It's not impossible to do it this way, but I still think (2) is better.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

ansonguyMost of my friends think either tense works.

I agree with them.

ansonguyWhich one is correct?

They both are correct, and they mean different things.

ansonguy I didn't visit the park for a long time. When I went there last week, it looked very different.

This needs setting up: "I used to take my dog to the park every day, but he died last year. I didn't visit the park for a long time. When I went there last week, it looked very different. His favorite shrubs had almost fully recovered."

ansonguy(2) I hadn't visited the park for a long time. When I went there last week, it looked very different.

This is better run in: "I hadn't visited the park for a long time, and when I went there last week, it looked very different." The past perfect standing alone is a bit mystifying. You really can't use verb tense to create meaning very often.

[didn't visit the park] /[hadn't visited the park] for a long time

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