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Poppo26 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Past perfect tense
Hello,
Is it possible to have two perfect tenses in one sentence?
"It had already begun to rain when they had reached the golf course."
I'm sure that the above sentence is not correct but is there an instance that two perfect tenses can be used in one simple sentence?
Thank you!
Is it possible to have two perfect tenses in one sentence?
"It had already begun to rain when they had reached the golf course."
I'm sure that the above sentence is not correct but is there an instance that two perfect tenses can be used in one simple sentence?
Thank you!
Top answer
Hello, poppo - and welcome to English Forums. I suppose it is possible, since many do it, but it is an awkward formation, and good style asks us to simplify the subordinated clause to past. You are right: your sentence is wrong as it stands, since present perfect is used to distinguish an earlier past event from a later past event, as in your sentence: It had already begun to rain when they reached the golf course.
- Hello, poppo - and welcome to English Forums.
- I suppose it is possible, since many do it, but it is an awkward formation, and good style asks us to simplify the subordinated clause to past.
- You are right: your sentence is wrong as it stands, since present perfect is used to distinguish an earlier past event from a later past event, as in your sentence: It had already begun to rain when they reached the golf course.
- This of course is OK: It had already begun to rain and the caddies had already left when they reached the golf course.
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2 Answers
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Hello, poppo - and welcome to English Forums.
I suppose it is possible, since many do it, but it is an awkward formation, and good style asks us to simplify the subordinated clause to past. You are right: your sentence is wrong as it stands, since present perfect is used to distinguish an earlier past event from a later past event, as in your sentence:
It had already begun to
I suppose it is possible, since many do it, but it is an awkward formation, and good style asks us to simplify the subordinated clause to past. You are right: your sentence is wrong as it stands, since present perfect is used to distinguish an earlier past event from a later past event, as in your sentence:
It had already begun to
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Thank you so much for your reply. I have not encountered or heard a sentence with two past perfect tenses after the when-clause.
Good day!
Good day!
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