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Seoul Brother Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

'past perfect tense' vs 'simple past'

When I arrived to the party, they ate the cake.

When I arrived to the party, they had eaten the cake.

When I had arrived to the party, they ate the cake.

Could you tell the difference of the sentences above?

thanks in advance
  

Top answer

When I arrived at the party ... the difference between ... The first suggests that the eating began at the time of your arrval.

— Fivejedjon

  • When I arrived at the party ...
  • the difference between ...
  • The first suggests that the eating began at the time of your arrval.
  • The second suggests that there was no cake left at the time of your arrival.
  • The third suggests that the eating began after the time of your arrival.
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2 Answers
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When I arrived at the party ...
... the difference between ...

The first suggests that the eating began at the time of your arrval.
The second suggests that there was no cake left at the time of your arrival.
The third suggests that the eating began after the time of your arrival.
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Seoul BrotherWhen I arrived to the party, they ate the cake.
When I arrived at the party, they ate the cake. (The cake was there when I arrived. I didn't get any of it. They ate it.)
When I arrived at the party, they had eaten the cake. (The cake was not there when I arrived. I didn't get any of it.)
When I had arrived at the party
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