had returned

Question

"Within a ?week, the ?situation had returned to ?normal."had returned &lt;- Is it Past Perfect?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Anonymous Is it Past Perfect?

Yup!

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

And If I would say:

1. Within a http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/week, the http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/situation has returned to http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/normal.
or
2. Within a http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/week, the http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/situation returned to http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/normal.

Would it be correct?

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous2. Within a week, the situation returned to normal.

Correct.

Anonymous1. Within a week, the situation has returned to normal.

Tricky. If the week is the most recent week before the time you say this, it's OK. Not great, but OK. Of limited usefulness.

X = the present moment; the time you say it
R = a reference point in the past, as established in the preceding context

time > > > > > > > >

.....................................[has returned]X {present point of view}
..............[ returned ] ...........................X {past point of view}
.......[had returned]R............................X {past point of view - anterior to the past}

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Unfortunatelly I don't quite understand. Could you give more examples, please?

had returned

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