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Perfect Stranger Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Grammar question no. 78: why past perfect?
Dear All,
Could someone please tell me why is past perfect used in this paragraph?
In the middle of a hot July afternoon, when the stifling air came with rippling waves of heat, I became a thief of some sort - a thief of music. For the first time, I had created an original piano arrangement of one of my favorite songs. Not once had I looked fot the help of premade sheet of music or video tutorials on YouTube. Using only my ears and iPod, I had transformed a mix of intermingling sounds and intricate melodies into the tones of a single instrument; I had created comples harmonies and voices into something I could perform with only two hands. No help, no guide: I had done it on my own.
Thanks
Could someone please tell me why is past perfect used in this paragraph?
In the middle of a hot July afternoon, when the stifling air came with rippling waves of heat, I became a thief of some sort - a thief of music. For the first time, I had created an original piano arrangement of one of my favorite songs. Not once had I looked fot the help of premade sheet of music or video tutorials on YouTube. Using only my ears and iPod, I had transformed a mix of intermingling sounds and intricate melodies into the tones of a single instrument; I had created comples harmonies and voices into something I could perform with only two hands. No help, no guide: I had done it on my own.
Thanks
Top answer
Perfect Stranger Could someone please tell me why is past perfect used in this paragraph? Presumably, those actions ( had created, had not looked , etc) occurred before he became the 'thief of music'. I expect the following portion of the context to tell us that he had not really done it on his own.
- Perfect Stranger Could someone please tell me why is past perfect used in this paragraph?
- Presumably, those actions ( had created, had not looked , etc) occurred before he became the 'thief of music'.
- I expect the following portion of the context to tell us that he had not really done it on his own.
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5 Answers
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Perfect StrangerCould someone please tell me why is past perfect used in this paragraph?Presumably, those actions (had created, had not looked, etc) occurred before he became the 'thief of music'. I expect the following portion of the context to tell us that he had not really done it on his own.
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Mister MicawberPresumably, those actions (had created, had not looked, etc) occurred before he became the 'thief of music'. I expect the following portion of the context to tell us that he had not really done it on his own.Thanks. Would it help if I posted the whole story?
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Perfect Stranger Would it help if I posted the whole story?I would prefer that you check my supposition yourself. It is easy enough to do.
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Quoting the paragraph, "I became a thief of some sort - a thief of music".
Is that "of some sort" an idiom?
Is that "of some sort" an idiom?
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AnonymousIs that "of some sort" an idiom?No. It just means 'a kind of'.
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