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Anduy Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Past perfect or Past simple?

This is a question in my exercise book:
Mr. Count ____ (work) as a cashier for twenty-five years. Then he retired and went to live in the country.
The keys give worked as the correct answer.
Can you please explain to me why we don't use had worked here?
Thank you. 
  

Top answer

Hi, You could use 'had worked', but we usually don't when the sequence of events is clear without it. The use of 'then' makes the sequence of events clear. Clive

— Clive

  • Hi, You could use 'had worked', but we usually don't when the sequence of events is clear without it.
  • The use of 'then' makes the sequence of events clear.
  • Clive
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5 Answers
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Hi,

You could use 'had worked', but we usually don't when the sequence of events is clear without it. The use of 'then' makes the sequence of events clear.

Clive
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Thank you.
How about when we have "before" or "after" in a sentence? These words also make the sequence of events clear but we still have to use perfect tenses.
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Past simple works with "before" and "after" too in everyday use:

Mr. Count worked as a cashier for twenty-five years before he retired and went to live in the country.
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answer is parallelism worked ,retired, went all in same tense
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No, it is not a matter of parallel structure, Subhojit. Clive and Shawn have already given the reasons.
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