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Whatchadoin Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Past perfect tense

Why do writers use the past perfect tense even when it's not necessary? I took the following sentence out of a context.

She was scared because of the blood he'd taken yesterday.
  

Top answer

whatchadoin Why do writers use the past perfect tense even when it's not necessary? Sometimes it's just to make the tense more accurate with respect to the time line or to help emphasize the time line. whatchadoin I took the following sentence out of a context.

— CalifJim

  • whatchadoin Why do writers use the past perfect tense even when it's not necessary?
  • Sometimes it's just to make the tense more accurate with respect to the time line or to help emphasize the time line.
  • whatchadoin I took the following sentence out of a context.
  • Also, there may have been something in the previous statements that made the writer feel that the past perfect would be more suitable.
  • CJ
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9 Answers
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whatchadoinWhy do writers use the past perfect tense even when it's not necessary?
Sometimes it's just to make the tense more accurate with respect to the time line or to help emphasize the time line.
whatchadoinI took the following sentence out of a context.
Also, there may have been something in the previous statements tha
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The example above does not make the reason for past perfect that clear.

You could however argue with a different example that past perfect is not necessary.

I had washed my hands before I ate.

before makes this clear

I washed my hands before I ate.
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I read "The Awakening" by L.J. Smith and she used the past perfect the way I explained above throughout the whole book. Don't know why, though.
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whatchadoinWhy do writers use the past perfect tense even when it's not necessary? I took the following sentence out of a context. I guess it's the same reason they use present perfect tense when it's not necessary. But that doesn't mean it's wrong. Some people are just very fond of perfect tenses.

She
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Theft from a blood bank?
Vampire movie? Emotion: smile

CJ
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CalifJimVampire movie?
Exactly! Emotion: smile
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Don't vampires need to drink fresh blood straight from the neck? Emotion: thinking
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canadian45Don't vampires need to drink fresh blood straight from the neck?
Not necessarily. They can either drink it straight from the neck and the vein or steal some and make their own stash.
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Seems the wrist is a common place for snacking as well, based on Moonlight and I think the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Of course, there are major inconsistencies among the various vampire lore.
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