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Rex Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

Had had to call off or had to call off

0He was the first Russian leader to visit the male-only community, on a narrow, rocky peninsula east of Thessaloniki, Russian TV reported.02br
00The trip was part of Mr Putin's two-day visit to Greece. 02br
00He has openly embraced the Orthodox faith, despite having served the atheist Soviet regime as a KGB officer. 02br
02br
01b00Multi-national community02b00 02br
00Mr Putin arrived at the monastic harbour of Dafni on board a private yacht amid heavy security. 02br
00He visited the Russian Orthodox Saint Panteleimon monastery - one of 20 at the site. 02br
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00 01table01tr01td02tr02table
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05002br
00Mount Athos is a pilgrimage site for Orthodox Christians02br
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02td
00 02br
00Mr Putin had had to call off two earlier attempts to visit Mount Athos, regarded as the European cradle of Orthodox Christianity, the main religion in Russia. 02br
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00----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------02br
01b00Is it correct to write 'Mr Putin had had to call off two earlier attempts to visit Mount Athos, 00egarded as the European cradle of Orthodox Christianity, the main religion in Russia'?02b02br
02br
01font00I think it is enough with 'Mr Putin had to call off two earlier 02font01font00attempts to visit Mount Athos, 02font01font00egarded as the European cradle of Orthodox Christianity, the main religion in Russia'.02font030src#f1.jpgw598
  

Top answer

0 The original sentence is correct. 02br 02br 00 Your version would be tolerated, because of the presence "earlier," which clarifies the sequence of events. Don't write like that in a test, though, or you may fail.

  • 0 The original sentence is correct.
  • 02br 02br 00 Your version would be tolerated, because of the presence "earlier," which clarifies the sequence of events.
  • Don't write like that in a test, though, or you may fail.
  • 0-
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5 Answers
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0 The original sentence is correct. 02br
02br
00 Your version would be tolerated, because of the presence "earlier," which clarifies the sequence of events. Don't write like that in a test, though, or you may fail. 0-
0
0 01i00had had02i00 is used to emphasize that the calling off of the two attempts happened before the arrival at Dafni and the visiting of the monastery. This often happens when the story is not told in chronological order. It's a way of going backwards in time instead of continuing the story in order.02br
02br
01i00He went to the supermark
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0 Thanks for the replies02br
00CalifJim, I guess he forgot the wallet at home. That is what you means. Because leaving the home to go to supermarket was the first event here.02br
02br
01font00Could I use the same sentence when I shop at a supermarket?02br
02font
02br
01b01font00
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Rex12cite10Thanks for the replies12br
10CalifJim, I guess he forgot the wallet at home. That is what you means. Because leaving the home to go to supermarket was the first event here.12br
12br
11font10Could I use the same sentence when I shop at a supermarket?12br
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0 01blockquote
01font10Could I use the same sentence when I shop at a supermarket?12br
12font
12br
11b11font10Oh! I had forgotten the wallet. 12font12b10 [ At the check-out counter.]12blockquote
12br
00 No. Your experience at the check-o

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