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Black swan Posted 5 years ago
Grammar

Past Perfect or Past Simple

I have a question about the Past Perfect tense.

The assignment says: "Insert the verbs in the Past Perfect tense".

He got a bad mark for his test because he ... (to make) a lot of mistakes in it.

I know that the Past Perfect tense is used when an acting was done in a definite moment in the past and a result is important at this moment. But there is no time indicator and I doubt that there is the Past Perfect tense.

P.S - I know form of this verb.

Help me understand why a verb should be in this form.

  

Top answer

Hi The time indicator is that it was just one exam where he got a bad mark. As you rightly say it is one definite moment and so we use the past perfect. In English, this is usually shown with the word 'had': - He got a bad mark for his test because he had made a lot of mistakes in it.

— Dave_anon

  • Hi The time indicator is that it was just one exam where he got a bad mark.
  • As you rightly say it is one definite moment and so we use the past perfect.
  • In English, this is usually shown with the word 'had': - He got a bad mark for his test because he had made a lot of mistakes in it.
  • The alternative to that (in the past tense) is the continuous, which is usually shown with the word 'has' (or 'have'): - His teacher is disappointed because he has given in poor work during the year Hope this helps Dave
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3 Answers
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Hi

The time indicator is that it was just one exam where he got a bad mark. As you rightly say it is one definite moment and so we use the past perfect. In English, this is usually shown with the word 'had':

- He got a bad mark for his test because he had made a lot of mistakes in it.

The alternative to that (in the past tense) is the continuous, which is usually shown with

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black swanHelp me understand why a verb should be in this form.

The reason is to make the sequence of events very clear.

First, he sat for a test and he made mistakes.

Next, his lecturer scored the test and gave him a bad mark.

Since the first action happened before the second, its verb is past perfect. The second action is in the past, an

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black swanI know that the Past Present Perfect tense is used when an acting action was done in a definite moment in the past and a result is important at this moment.

By saying "at this moment" you have described the present perfect tense, not the pas

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