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Rafay Shaukat Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
'had been' vs. 'was'
What is the difference between the two sentences?
- I had been there when the building started to collapse on itself.
- I was there when the building started to collapse on itself.
Please elaborate with a little explanation. I have this feeling that both are grammatically correct and can be used interchangeably. Perhaps I am wrong?
Another example:
- 'Have you ever been to Italy?' - 'Yeah, I had been there a few years ago.'
- 'Have you ever been to Italy?' - 'Yeah, I was there a few years ago.'
- I had been there when the building started to collapse on itself.
- I was there when the building started to collapse on itself.
Please elaborate with a little explanation. I have this feeling that both are grammatically correct and can be used interchangeably. Perhaps I am wrong?
Another example:
- 'Have you ever been to Italy?' - 'Yeah, I had been there a few years ago.'
- 'Have you ever been to Italy?' - 'Yeah, I was there a few years ago.'
Top answer
Rafay Shaukat - I had been there when the building started to collapse on itself. I was there when the building started to collapse on itself. < ...
- Rafay Shaukat - I had been there when the building started to collapse on itself.
- I was there when the building started to collapse on itself.
- < ...
- I had been there a few years ago.
- I was there a few years ago.
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1 Answers
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Rafay Shaukat-We don't use 'had been' (or the past perfect of almost any verb) unless we have established a past poI had been there when the building started to collapse on itself.
I was there when the building started to collapse on itself. <
...I had been there a few years ago.
I was there a few years ago. <
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