Past perfect use in a compound sentence

Question

Hi. Please tell me why it would be correct (if it is indeed correct) to have a past perfect tense in the second (latter) clause in this compound sentence when the second (latter) clause has a date/an year that is later than the first (former/precious) clause. Let us assume the letters XXX's represent three digits of some arbitrary years - starting from the first digits.

They had 20 people in the group in the year XXX7, and this number had risen to 28 by XXX9.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

I see no reason for the past perfect there unless it relates directly to a later past date in further context.

Anonymous · Answer

i am confused cux on my hw it saids write a compond sentence(using past-perfect) and i dont get how 2 combine both of those thing can u help me?

Mister Micawber · Answer

When they counted their membership, they found that it had risen to 30.

Terryxpress · Answer

It's correct. It's that preposition 'by' !

In...in XXX7, they 'had'. Then numbers gradually rose, and rose in XXX8, and rose, over a period of time.
It is at the end of that time period - by some specific date, XXX9, when statistics were tallied - that becomes the Past Tense for further action/events; but that at that point in time, the ' gradually rose, and rose and rose over time' is now perceived as coming prior to this date in XXX9, and so is reported in Past Perfect.

I just had a quick look on the Internet, and found these:
(For clarity, I have not highlighted verbs in the Passive Voice.)
Bär, a Saxon with a strong accent, joined the Reichswehr in 1934 and transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935. Serving first as a mechanic, then as a pilot on transport aircraft, he was informally trained as a fighter pilot. He claimed his first aerial victory in September 1939 on the French border. By the end of the Battle of Britain, his tally of victories had increased to 17. Transferred to the Eastern front to participate in Operation Barbarossa, he quickly accumulated further kills,

Saint Flannan's College is an Irish secondary school located in Ennis, County Clare. ... A measure of the expansion... is that in 1962, there were some 370 pupils in St. Flannan's, 140 of whom were day boys. Just 37 teachers were in attendance. By 2004, the numbers had risen to more than 1,001 students. Staff numbers had risen to 60. In September 2002, Coed. classes were introduced (Passive Voice) in First Year. In September 2003, a new wing containing extensive new facilities was opened. (Passive Voice)

Past perfect use in a compound sentence

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