Past Perfect !!!

Question

Hi friends,I was reading a story in Oxford book series "Two boxes of gold". It was written "He met me when I reached the bank." I think it should be "He had met me when I reached the bank."Please assist me.Thanks and regards,d_say

Dimsumexpress · Accepted Answer

I met her at a business lunch once when I went to Florida for a conference. - No need for past perfect.
For your sentence, it is the same.

Avangi · Answer

He met me when I reached the bank.
He had met me when I reached the bank.

The red and the green are both unlikely, but the green is more so. It would take a lot of context to impart any sense to either of them.

I take the red to mean that he was awaiting your arrival at the bank, and when you finally got there, he came out to greet you, or he made himself known in some other way.

Perhaps you're thinking of "to meet" as "to make someone's acquaintance."
"We had already met when my wife introduced us."
"We had already met before my wife introduced us."

Or, the green could be something like this:

He and I were examining the contents of the safety deposit box.
(paragraph) (flashback)

He had met me when I reached the bank, and we had then entered the vault together.

Hey, you were reading the story. What was going on??

D_say · Answer

Thanks, but don't you think its a Past perfect tense or how could you specify this sentence ???

D_say · Answer

Thank you buddy,

But I tell you what I was taking it like before. I was used to be the limits of using sentences in the Present, Past and Future tenses. So if someone ask me according to the tense structure you know I will say that the sentence of red is wrong.

Secondly answering to your question I have been advised by an english teacher that I should study the story books of Oxford University press for understanding the language. If I am not wrong his advise was about to read the Egnlish literature. right ?

many thanks my friend Avangi, I like your way of explanation.

*** bless you buddy

best regards

d_say

CalifJim · Answer

d_sayHi friends,I was reading a story in Oxford book series "Two boxes of gold". It was written "He met me when I reached the bank." I think it should be "He had met me when I reached the bank."Please assist me.Thanks and regards,d_say

when is very commonly used to connect two past simple clauses. You don't need a past perfect. Just use the past. The meaning of the two clauses will make it clear which situation occurred first. (It's often the situation in the when clause.)

I was very relieved when I heard the news. (I heard the news; I was relieved.)
Jerry caught the tools when they fell off the roof. (The tools fell off the roof; Jerry caught them.)
The room warmed up quickly when Peter turned the furnace on.
Tom gave a good acceptance speech when he won the election.
Louis tore up the love letter when he learned the truth about Susan.

CJ

For information on the past perfect, use the Search Box. You might start with this. Follow the links.

Avangi · Answer

He met me when I reached the bank.

Since you gave the title as "Two Boxes of Gold" I assumed the bank was where they kept the money, but it could just as well have been a river bank. You're in a rowboat and he's walking along the shore. When you landed your boat, he met you.

If you could give us a little more background, it would be easier to understand what made you feel the past perfect might be more appropriate.

Best wishes, - A.

Past Perfect !!!

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