Past Perfect

Question

Is Past Perfect applied only within* a sentence or should it be applied *between sentences as well?"He was an engineer at IBM. After that, he worked on a farm.""He had been an engineer at IBM. After that, he worked on a farm.""He had been an engineer at IBM before he worked on a farm."Are all correct? Thank you

Enoon · Accepted Answer

The past perfect is not called for. Use the past tense.

James Abari · Answer

But don`t I have one action completed before another action in the past? I am confused ...  <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' alt='Emotion: sad'/>

Fivejedjon · Answer

If the sequence of events is clear, as it almost always is when we use the words 'after' or 'before', there is generally no need for a past perfect.

CalifJim · Answer

James AbariIs Past Perfect applied only within* a sentence or should it be applied *between sentences as well?

It is most definitely applied between sentences. In fact, it is probably applied more between sentences than within them. However — and this is a big 'however' — it is not applied as you have done in your examples, especially the second one. The order is wrong. To use the past perfect between sentences, you use the past first. Then, as if you had forgotten to tell part of your story, you use a past perfect to refer to a time before the time of your previous sentence( s ).

Jake worked on a farm. He enjoyed that kind of work. He knew how to feed chickens and how to milk cows. But there was something surprising about him that almost no one knew. He had been an engineer at IBM back in the 1990s and had won a lot of awards for his innovations.

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CJ

James Abari · Answer

Interesting. Thanks so much guys!

Past Perfect

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