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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Past perfect before the conjunction "before"
Hi. Is the part in the past pefert tense with the word "before" making the time frame of the main clause before its time? I am not sure I have phrased it correctly though. Please see the underlined past perfect parts.
eg,
It happened before they had finished their work.
They did this before they had done that.
He was to have some more time off before they had finished working with him.
eg,
It happened before they had finished their work.
They did this before they had done that.
He was to have some more time off before they had finished working with him.
Top answer
They are reversed, and there is no call for past perfect They ran away before they finished their work . They were paid after they finished their work. They ate breakfast before they ate lunch .
- They are reversed, and there is no call for past perfect They ran away before they finished their work .
- They were paid after they finished their work.
- They ate breakfast before they ate lunch .
- He was to have some more time off before they finished working with him .
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9 Answers
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They are reversed, and there is no call for past perfect
They ran away before they finished their work.
They were paid after they finished their work.
They ate breakfast before they ate lunch.
He was to have some more time off before they finished working with him.
They ran away before they finished their work.
They were paid after they finished their work.
They ate breakfast before they ate lunch.
He was to have some more time off before they finished working with him.
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Hi. Thank you for answering my question.
Your sentence in your response post:
They ran away before they finished their work.
What is the difference?
1.They had ran away before they finished their work.
2.They ran away before they had finished their work.
To me, no. 2 indicates they ran away before finishing their work but
Your sentence in your response post:
They ran away before they finished their work.
What is the difference?
1.They had ran away before they finished their work.
2.They ran away before they had finished their work.
To me, no. 2 indicates they ran away before finishing their work but
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1.They had run away before they finished their work.
2.They ran away before they had finished their work.
What is the difference?-- The difference is that #2 is impossible without further text, since past perfect, when it is used, is used to mark the earlier of two past actions. #1 is structured correctly, but still requires more context to make it a reasonable choic
2.They ran away before they had finished their work.
What is the difference?-- The difference is that #2 is impossible without further text, since past perfect, when it is used, is used to mark the earlier of two past actions. #1 is structured correctly, but still requires more context to make it a reasonable choic
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Hi. Thank you again. The below is made up to ask a further question. I would use this sentence that has the previous number 2 pattern (please see the last quoted content in bold letters):
The manager of a factory comes in to see if everyone is doing what they are supposed to do. Then he finds one employee missing and his first name is John. He asks, "Where is John?" and someone answ
The manager of a factory comes in to see if everyone is doing what they are supposed to do. Then he finds one employee missing and his first name is John. He asks, "Where is John?" and someone answ
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Yes, emphasis is one of the uses of the past perfect, but it still makes no sense here, since the going home precedes the finishing of the work.
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Greetings!
How about Kipling ?
"when my father here talked to you at the Very Beginning, and I leaned upon his shoulder while the beasts were being taught their plays, one beast went away naughtily into the Sea before you had taught him his play."
It seems to me that Past Perfect after "before" was used to emphasize the verb. Am I wrong?
How about Kipling ?
"when my father here talked to you at the Very Beginning, and I leaned upon his shoulder while the beasts were being taught their plays, one beast went away naughtily into the Sea before you had taught him his play."
It seems to me that Past Perfect after "before" was used to emphasize the verb. Am I wrong?
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Before
"Before" as well can either be used with Simple Past or Past Perfect. If the action after "before" is a new action, use Simple Past. If the action after "before" started (and was not completed) before a certain time in the past, use Past Perfect. Compare the following examples:
Example:
Jane had read a lot about elephan
"Before" as well can either be used with Simple Past or Past Perfect. If the action after "before" is a new action, use Simple Past. If the action after "before" started (and was not completed) before a certain time in the past, use Past Perfect. Compare the following examples:
Example:
Jane had read a lot about elephan
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Before
"Before" as well can either be used with Simple Past or Past Perfect. If the action after "before" is a new action, use Simple Past. If the action after "before" started (and was not completed) before a certain time in the past, use Past Perfect. Compare the following examples:
Example:
Jane had read a lot about elephants before she
"Before" as well can either be used with Simple Past or Past Perfect. If the action after "before" is a new action, use Simple Past. If the action after "before" started (and was not completed) before a certain time in the past, use Past Perfect. Compare the following examples:
Example:
Jane had read a lot about elephants before she
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anonymousHi. Is the part in the past pefert tense with the word "before" making the time frame of the main clause before its time? I am not sure I have phrased it correctly though. Please see the underlined past perfect parts.
eg,
It happened before they had finished their work.
They did this before they had done that.
He was to have some m
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