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Kane159 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Help me with tenses please

Hi,
we wrote a test today on tenses. We had to fill a suitable tense in each gap. There was one sentence I wasn't sure about.

He shouted at me because I _______ ( spill ) a few drops of tea while I ______ (pour) it.

I chose had spilled and was pouring. Am I correct? Is it possible to use the past perfect in combination with the past continuous? I hesitated between was pouring and had been pouring.

Thank you!
  

Top answer

Hi, we wrote a test today on tenses. We had to fill a suitable tense in each gap. There was one sentence I wasn't sure about.

— Clive

  • Hi, we wrote a test today on tenses.
  • We had to fill a suitable tense in each gap.
  • There was one sentence I wasn't sure about.
  • He shouted at me because I _______ ( spill ) a few drops of tea while I ______ (pour) it.
  • I chose had spilled and was pouring .
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3 Answers
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Hi,
we wrote a test today on tenses. We had to fill a suitable tense in each gap. There was one sentence I wasn't sure about.

He shouted at me because I _______ ( spill ) a few drops of tea while I ______ (pour) it.

I chose had spilled and was pouring. Am I correct? Yes.
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They both are fine, Kane

Either you say "He shouted at me because I had spilled a few drops of tea while I was pouring it" or you say" He shouted at me because I spilled a few drops of tea while I was pouring it"

Another example: "I had left home when you came in" or "I left home when you came in"

Don't worry, you're not making mistakes by writing it
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Hi,
Another example: "I had left home when you came in" or "I left home when you came in"

Note the difference in meaning.

I had left home when you came in Sounds like first I left, then you came in.
eg you
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