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Avangi Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Past perfect issue
Hi,
I just wrote an example, "I had been there before the fire," with no justification for the past perfect except context. How do I explain this to students, when we say there must be a simple past tense reference?
I really believe that "I have been there before the fire" makes no sense.
(Maybe rinoceraunt can explain it.)
Many thanks. - A.
I just wrote an example, "I had been there before the fire," with no justification for the past perfect except context. How do I explain this to students, when we say there must be a simple past tense reference?
I really believe that "I have been there before the fire" makes no sense.
(Maybe rinoceraunt can explain it.)
Many thanks. - A.
Top answer
Hi Avangi, I'm not sure if I'm qualified enough to answer this in a persuasive manner; however, I'd still give it a go I had been there before the fire. Rephrased - I had been there before the fire happened . If you look at it carefully, there is an event in this sentence.
- Hi Avangi, I'm not sure if I'm qualified enough to answer this in a persuasive manner; however, I'd still give it a go I had been there before the fire.
- Rephrased - I had been there before the fire happened .
- If you look at it carefully, there is an event in this sentence.
- However, one could argue that 'fire' isn't really suggestive of an event in its entirety; To that, I'd say, if you look at the pattern - 'fire started', you would come to know that 'fire' is, indeed, an event.
- It is only in the sentences that we choose to skip 'started' ??
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3 Answers
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Hi Avangi,
I'm not sure if I'm qualified enough to answer this in a persuasive manner; however, I'd still give it a go
I had been there before the fire.
Rephrased - I had been there before the fire happened.
If you look at it carefully, there is an event in this sentence. However, one could argue that 'fire' isn't really suggestive of an event in its en
I'm not sure if I'm qualified enough to answer this in a persuasive manner; however, I'd still give it a go
I had been there before the fire.
Rephrased - I had been there before the fire happened.
If you look at it carefully, there is an event in this sentence. However, one could argue that 'fire' isn't really suggestive of an event in its en
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Hi,
Personally,I think that the verb "break out" is hidden.That is , "I had been there before the fire broke out".
"Before" implies that I had been there before something happened .
May others explain more.
Personally,I think that the verb "break out" is hidden.That is , "I had been there before the fire broke out".
"Before" implies that I had been there before something happened .
May others explain more.
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Thanks, guys. I believe you're both on the same track.
I have a little trouble assigning a tense to an "implied" verb, but I agree that this is the situation.
I'm wondering why this hasn't come up before, since we're usually so clear about the required marker.
Thanks again.
I have a little trouble assigning a tense to an "implied" verb, but I agree that this is the situation.
I'm wondering why this hasn't come up before, since we're usually so clear about the required marker.
Thanks again.
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