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Stenka25 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Had started vs. started
In the below sentences, one has past perfect tense and in the other past tense comes up. How this happens? Is there any implicit intention of mixing up the tenses or is it just a careless writing?
Thanks in advance.
Researchers asked both Dartmouth and Princeton students who started the rough play. When the Princeton students responded, 86 percent said that Dartmouth had started it, while only 11 percent blamed both sides. When the Dartmouth students were asked, only 36 percent said Dartmouth started it.
Thanks in advance.
Researchers asked both Dartmouth and Princeton students who started the rough play. When the Princeton students responded, 86 percent said that Dartmouth had started it, while only 11 percent blamed both sides. When the Dartmouth students were asked, only 36 percent said Dartmouth started it.
Top answer
Many students have come to believe in the myth that tenses need to match. If you consider the rule for past perfect, you'll note that a simple past reference is required in the same sentence. How is this possible?
- Many students have come to believe in the myth that tenses need to match.
- If you consider the rule for past perfect, you'll note that a simple past reference is required in the same sentence.
- How is this possible?
- Events in the simple past can span a huge difference in time, even when in the same sentence.
- The past perfect is an option which allows us to show a relationship between two past events.
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4 Answers
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Many students have come to believe in the myth that tenses need to match.
If you consider the rule for past perfect, you'll note that a simple past reference is required in the same sentence.
How is this possible?
If you consider the rule for past perfect, you'll note that a simple past reference is required in the same sentence.
How is this possible?
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Hi,
When the sequence of events is clear, as it is here, the Simple Past is often used instead of the Past Perfect.
Consistency often gives better style. I would not use PP here at all.
It's implicit in the passage that the rough play s
When the sequence of events is clear, as it is here, the Simple Past is often used instead of the Past Perfect.
Consistency often gives better style. I would not use PP here at all.
It's implicit in the passage that the rough play s
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Stenka2586 percent said that Dartmouth had started itThe only argument I can see in favor of using the past perfect is that Princeton students are talking about Dartmouth while Dartmouth students are talking about themselves. (They started it. / We started it.)
"We both do it, but they did it first," say the students. (direct speech)
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