Past perfect

Question

Hi Everyone,Here are 3 sentences:1. 'Shaun had decided on Italy before he booked his trip'2. 'Shaun had decided on Italy before he had booked his trip.'3. 'Shaun had decided on Italy before he had booked his trip and bought new luggage.'I know sentence number 1 is OK. What are people's thoughts on sentences 2 and 3?I know that past perfect is all about past events in which there might be a few, but can we get away with sentence 2 regardless?Hope this makes sense.Thank you all in advance.CC

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

1. 'Shaun had decided on Italy before he booked his trip' Good. In an isolated sentence like this, 'had' can even be removed.

2. 'Shaun had decided on Italy before he had booked his trip.' Not wrong, but more words than necessary. This makes it seem like a clumsy way of saying it.

3. 'Shaun had decided on Italy before he had booked his trip and bought new luggage.' As with 2.

Cup cakeI know that past perfect is all about past events in which there might be a few

A few? You only need one event in the past to establish the time period you're talking about.
Then you only need one event that happened before the reference time period you established.

Suddenly, it started to rain. (Reference time established.) Fortunately, I had brought an umbrella with me. (Before the now-established reference time.) Note: I don't need a 'before'-clause in the second sentence. The "had (brought)" says that already.

Cup cakecan we get away with sentence 2

Yes, but it's not "getting away" with it. As I said above, it's OK but clumsy. It has nothing to do with not having enough events.

CJ

Cup cake · Answer

Thank you CJ.

What a fantastic explanation. This is SUCH an amazing forum!

Have a fabulous day and happy Christmas shopping.

Past perfect

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