Grammar
Hello everyone,
Is it okay to use past perfect after "before that" as follows?
He lived in France. Before that he had lived in Germany.
Or should it be past simple as follows?
He lived in France. Before that he lived in Germany.
I think both are okay but the past simple is better. Is that tight?
Regards,
Joseph
Top answer
Joseph A I think both are okay but the past simple is better. Is that tight? right (typo) No.
- Joseph A I think both are okay but the past simple is better.
- Is that tight?
- right (typo) No.
- There has to be a reason for the past perfect, and there isn't.
- His living in Germany has to have occurred before something else that occurred between the time he lived in Germany and the time he lived in France, but the something else is not there.
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Joseph AI think both are okay but the past simple is better. Is that tight?
right (typo)
No. There has to be a reason for the past perfect, and there isn't. His living in Germany has to have occurred before something else that occurred between the time he lived in Germany and the time he lived in France, but the something else is not there.
0Joseph AI think both are okay but the past simple is better. Is that right?
That's right.
We often substitute the simple past for the past perfect after 'before'. 'before' shows the time sequence, so the past perfect doesn't need to.
CJ
0
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