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Laborious Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

My shoes were so dirty, because I (didn't clean / hadn't cleaned / wasn't cleaning / hadn't been cleaning ) them

Hello there teachers, Would you kindly help me by answering the questions I have concerning the following incomplete sentence? Here is the sentence: - My shoes were so dirty, because I _______ (didn't clean / hadn't cleaned / wasn't cleaning / hadn't been cleaning) I need to fill in the blank the correct or the most appropriate verb form that is to be chosen from the options given in the brackets. I think the most appropriate option (verb form) would be the past past perfect (hadn't cleaned), since we can use the past perfect to express the reason or clause for something else in the past, but I'm not completely sure about it. So, I'd like you to help me with this. Thank you.
  

Top answer

My shoes were so dirty, because I … Your reasoning is good. The reason is a step back in time from ‘past’ tense ‘were’. To my ear, both ‘hadn’t cleaned’ (a completed action) or ‘hadn’t been cleaning’ (a repeated completed action) can be used.

— Wilpeter

  • My shoes were so dirty, because I … Your reasoning is good.
  • The reason is a step back in time from ‘past’ tense ‘were’.
  • To my ear, both ‘hadn’t cleaned’ (a completed action) or ‘hadn’t been cleaning’ (a repeated completed action) can be used.
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5 Answers
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My shoes were so dirty, because I …
Your reasoning is good. The reason is a step back in time from ‘past’ tense ‘were’.
To my ear, both ‘hadn’t cleaned’ (a completed action) or ‘hadn’t been cleaning’ (a repeated completed action) can be used.
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Heartily thanks to you, sir, for responding! Wouldn't there be any difference in the meaning if, instead of past perfect simple, we chose the past perfect continuous in that situation?
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LaboriousI think the most appropriate option (verb form) would be the past past perfect (hadn't cleaned)
That's a good answer. (It's the past perfect, not the past past perfect. But I think you knew that.
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CalifJim (It's the past perfect, not the past past perfect. But I think you knew that. )

Emotion: smile .. Sir, yes, I knew that, but th
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LaboriousI'd also like to know the difference between 'My shoes were dirty because I hadn't cleaned them for, let's say, several days' and 'My shoes were dirty because I hadn't been cleaning them for several days'. Is there any difference between them or do they carry the same meaning, please?
The meaning is very similar. If you say 'hadn't been cleaning them
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