Past perfect - duration with always
Hi,
Could a grammarian help us solve a debate? The debate is about the use of the past perfect. We know that the past perfect is used to describe a completed event (let's say event A) preceding another period in the past (let's say period X).
But would you agree that in some situations it is possible to use the past perfect if the event A was not over by period X?
For example, we are describing what happened between 2 people in 2010, ya?
1. John saw Jenna. He loved Jenna. (simple past - at that point he was in love with Jenna).
2. John saw Jenna. He always loved Jenna (simple past - at that point in 2010 he always loved her).
3. John saw Jenna. He had always loved Jenna. (past perfect - he was in love with her in all the time before 2010 and he was still in love with her when he saw her in 2010).
Would all three be correct with the meanings we give them?
Likewise,
1. Jenna saw John. She thought he was an idiot (at that time).
2. Jenna saw John. She always thought he was an idiot. (always at that point)
3. Jenna saw John. She had always thought he was an idiot (before she saw him, and she still thought the same way when she saw him).
Thank you for help.
Top answer
anonymous it is possible to use the past perfect if the event A was not over by period X? We don't use it that way. The past perfect tells us that the first event is complete over and done before the second event.
- anonymous it is possible to use the past perfect if the event A was not over by period X?
- We don't use it that way.
- The past perfect tells us that the first event is complete over and done before the second event.
- We use "just' or "shortly" when the two events are very close together in time, and "long" for large time gaps.
- I had just finished washing the car when it began to rain.
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anonymousit is possible to use the past perfect if the event A was not over by period X?
We don't use it that way. The past perfect tells us that the first event is complete over and done before the second event.
We use "just' or "shortly" when the two events are very close together in time, and "long" for large time gaps.
I had just finish
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