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Teo Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

past BEFORE past perfect

01. He died before I01b00 had had02b00 a chance to speak to him. / She ran out before I 01b00had realized02b00 what was happening. 02br
02br
002. He died before I01b00 had02b00 a chance to speak to him. / She ran out before I01b00 realized02b00 what was happening. 02br
02br
00What's the difference in meaning between #1 and #2?0-
  

Top answer

0I don't think you can use the past perfect that way. The simple past is ok. The sequence is:02br 02br 00Past Simple / Past Perfect || before || past simple 0-

— Diamondrg

  • 0I don't think you can use the past perfect that way.
  • The simple past is ok.
  • The sequence is:02br 02br 00Past Simple / Past Perfect || before || past simple 0-
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7 Answers
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0I don't think you can use the past perfect that way. The simple past is ok. The sequence is:02br
02br
00Past Simple / Past Perfect || before || past simple 0-
0
0
0Hi guys,02br
02br
01font001. He died before I01b00 had had02b00 a chance to speak to him. / She ran out before I 01b00had realized02b00 what was happening. 02font02br
02br
01font002. He died before I01b00 had02b00 a chance to
0
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0 The two cases are curiously different, aren't they?02br
02br
00 First: She ran out.02br
00 Then: I realized what was happening.02br
02br
00So She ran out before I realized what was happening. 05002br
02br
00 First: He died.02br
00 Then: I had a chance to speak to him.02br
00 So He died
0
0
0Hi,02br
02br
01font00First: He died.02br
00Then: I had a chance to speak to him.02br
00So He died before I had a chance to speak to him. 02br
02br
00A chance to speak to a dead man??? What's that about? 00Well, technically00, there's nothing to prevent you speaking to a dead man, is there? The
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Clive12cite11font101. He died before I11b10 had had12b10 a chance to speak to him. / She ran out before I 11b10had realized12b10 what was happening. 12font11font102. He died before I11b10 had12b10
0
0
0Hi Teo,02br
02br
00May I just jump in for a 00 00few comments?00 00The hosts already explained to you clearly why the past perfect is not necessary.00 00The construct in which the “had + past participle + before / after00 00+ past participle” is typically 00 00applied to completed past 00 00time where 2 or more events took plac
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011. I 01i00saw02i00 him before he 01i00saw 02i00me.12. I 01i00had seen02i00 him before he 01i00saw 02i00me.13. I 01i00saw02i00 him before he 01i00had seen02i00 me.14. I 01i00had seen02i00 him before he 01i00had seen02i
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