Past perfect vs simple past

Question

Hi,Are all the tenses used in the following correct?If so,what different meanings do they suggest?1.'My father retired last year.He had worked/had been working/worked for the same company all his life.'I think that both the past perfect simple and continuous are correct,but I have doubts about the simple past.I need elaboration on this,please.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

My father retired last year. He worked for the same company all his life.

Only the simple past is used here. Past perfect forms are used only for past acts preceding other past acts when the order of occurrence is otherwise unclear or when the order of events needs emphasis.

Fivejedjon · Answer

Mister MicawberOnly the simple past is used here. Past perfect forms are used only for past acts preceding other past acts when the order of occurrence is otherwise unclear or when the order of events needs emphasis.

I agree that the past perfect is not essential, and that the past simple is fine. However, I would change 'used' to 'essential' if I were to write your second sentence (above). In the context of nsfs2's father retiring last year, the past perfect is fine, in my opinion. The period of work extended up to the point of retirement.

I think that some British coursebooks and grammars for students give the impression that the past perfect is essential when one past action/state precedes another; it is not, but it is often acceptable.

Mister Micawber · Answer

I'm trying to wean students off the verb form.

Fivejedjon · Answer

Fair enough.

Ivanhr · Answer

Hi guys

Which one would you use?

1. He expected to pass the test, but he didn't.

2. He had expected to pass the test, but he didn't.

They both seem ok to me.

Nsfs2 · Answer

fivejedjonFair enough.

Hi,

So, I can use the past perfect safely,then! Is this formally more acceptable in formal writing than the simple past?

And one more thing,does using the simple past suggest any meaning of 'death' for 'my father' with the use of 'all his life'?

Mister Micawber · Answer

So, I can use the past perfect safely, then!- Some will question why you bothered to do so.
Is this formally more acceptable in formal writing than the simple past? -- No.

And one more thing,does using the simple past suggest any meaning of 'death' for 'my father' with the use of 'all his life'?- No. If anything, the past perfect does that. Past perfect, as I said, refers to the earlier of two actions not already clearly ordered. Since the two actions (retired, worked) are clearly ordered in your sentence, past perfect may suggest to some/many readers that yet another past action (e.g. his death) may exist in the greater context.

Ivanhr1. He expected to pass the test, but he didn't.2. He had expected to pass the test, but he didn't.

To me, too: again, the order of events is clear to any logical reader. Most of the time learners, pre-occupied with this wonderful new verb form, stick past perfect in where it is unnecessary. It is a form that is seldom use and can often be replaced by simple past. Learners would be much wiser to spend their time building vocabulary or something more useful.

Fivejedjon · Answer

Mister MicawberMost of the time learners, pre-occupied with this wonderful new verb form, stick past perfect in where it is unnecessary. It is a form that is seldom used and can often be replaced by simple past. Learners would be much wiser to spend their time building vocabulary or something more useful.

I agree. In my earlier post I was merely pointing out that in the example being discussed it could be used. I was not suggesting it should be used.

Past perfect vs simple past

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