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Curiouscat Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Is this Past Perfect?

Hi All,

i was watching Britain's Got Talent the other day, after Janey Cutler's performance, host 1 goes out on stage to usher her back, and on their way out, Janey gives a bow, host 1 bows to the crowd as well.
Host 2 waiting backstage sees this and says:

"What's he bowing for? He hadn't done anything?"

Is hadn't done considered past perfect? I mean, it's usually used prior to another past action right? or is this a grammatical exception of some sort?

Thanks!
  

Top answer

That is past perfect, and it is a result of the fact that much of spoken grammar is internalized. Host 2 is thinking 'He hadn't done anything when he bowed'.

— Mister Micawber

  • That is past perfect, and it is a result of the fact that much of spoken grammar is internalized.
  • Host 2 is thinking 'He hadn't done anything when he bowed'.
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2 Answers
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That is past perfect, and it is a result of the fact that much of spoken grammar is internalized. Host 2 is thinking 'He hadn't done anything when he bowed'.
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Hmmm. That's a good point. So it's possible then to imply something happened in the past when using the past perfect.
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