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Hello dear teacherIs it possible to write that John and Kevin lived in Lincoln, they knew each other for a long time because they went to school together.They bought guitar and practised in Kevin's flat. But.after a while they stopped playingIn this sentence  first they lived then they knew Or should I say that and why John and Kevin lived in Lincoln, they had known each other for a long time because theyhad gone to school together.They bought guitar and practised in Kevin's flat But.after a while they stopped playingThis one they had known first then they livedAre both texts correct? and if not why?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

AnonymousIs it possible to write that
John and Kevin lived in Lincoln, they knew each other for a long time because they went to school together. They bought a guitar and practised in Kevin's flat, but after a while, they stopped playing.

AnonymousIn this sentence first they lived then they knew

No, It's not obvious. I would write:

John and Kevin both lived in Lincoln; during which they met and went on to know each other for a long time as they went to school together. They bought a guitar and practised in Kevin's flat, but after a while, they stopped playing.

AnonymousThis one they had known first then they lived

Hmm.. . I say it is undestandable, however, I would write:

By the time John and Kevin moved to Lincoln, they had already known each other for a long time as they had gone to school together. They bought a guitar and practised in Kevin's flat, but after a while, they stopped playing.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks for your answer

You say it is not obvious could you try to explain why

Anonymous · Answer

AnonymousThanks for your answerYou say it is not obvious could you try to explain why

'John and Kevin lived in Lincoln, they knew each other for a long time because they went to school together'

There is nothing in this statement that clearly indicates the sequence/timing of events. It does not explicitly tell which happened first, their knowing each other or their living in Lincoln.

Anonymous · Answer

ok
But as I wrote lived first it was this one before then their knowing ; Why does it not work like that? I thought if you wrote two verbs in past simple the first you wrote is the one that happened first.

thanks for your answer

Anonymous · Answer

Anonymous I thought if you wrote two verbs in past simple the first you wrote is the one that happened first.

I'm not sure about that, maybe if it was written in list style:

I woke up early, took a shower, had breakfast, and went out to work.

However, yours wasn't. I suggest you wait for another member's input on this.

Anonymous · Answer

thanks for your answer
but in this text

How sad! George dreamt of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He had never seen the ocean.

It is obviously that never seen the ocean is before he did not make it and you must used the past perfect why?
And if I have two past perfect in the same sentence the sequence of time will not be clear, Is it possible for example

John and kevin had lived in Lincoln but did not now , they had bought a guitar and practised but after a while they stopped playing.
To me that would mean that at the time they practised they did not live in lincoln any more ,but that they bought a guitar when they lived in Lincoln and begun to practise after they moved(no need for past perfect here,) . A bit complicated but correct?
But we dont know exactly when they bought the guitar , we only know that it was before they moved

many thanks

Anonymous · Answer

AnonymousHow sad! George dreamt of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He had never seen the ocean.

In this statement, 'He had never seen the ocean' is relative to the time in which he dreamt, that is, when he dreamt of going to California, he had never seen the ocean.

AnonymousJohn and kevin had lived in Lincoln but did not now , they had bought a guitar and practised but after a while they stopped playing.

'John and kevin had lived in Lincoln but did not now' ..well, I think you meant to say, John and kevin had lived in Lincoln but not/never known.. .

AnonymousTo me that would mean that at the time they practised they did not live in lincoln any more ,but that they bought a guitar when they lived in Lincoln and begun to practise after they moved(no need for past perfect here,) . A bit complicated but correct?

No, 'they had bought a guitar and practised but after a while they stopped', to my understanding, means that they had both, bought and practiced; that is, both of the two verbs are in the past perfect tense.

BarbaraPA · Answer

What is the time sequence you are trying to describe? None of what has been written is correct. The comma splices are driving me crazy.

In your example about the ocean, there was no need for past perfect.

Anonymous · Answer

John and kevin had lived in Lincoln but did not now' I mean they moved but before they lived in Lincoln. This is what I wanted to say.At the time I wrote this they had already moved..

They had bought their guitar and practised but after a while they stopped .Is it possible without adding any other words to mean they bought their guitars when they were in Lincoln and began and stopped practising once they had moved

For the ocean example I found it in an exercise and the solution was had never seen .I find this solution a bit strange but that was the answer of the exercise.

Past perfect is really complicated too complicated for me

This will be my last post

BarbaraPA · Answer

If that was your last post, then I suppose it is pointless for me to reply.

I need the real time sequence.
1. They lived in Lincoln, went to the same school and met each other at school.
2. They each moved somewhere else, away from each other
3. They met again, and realized they knew each other from before.
4. They decided to play music together.

Is that the sequence?

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