Past Simple/Past Perfect

Question

Hello,Could you please tell me whether we could use the Past Simple Tense instead of the Past Perfect Tense in the sentence below:The man sitting next to me was nervous. He didn't fly before.The man sitting next to me was nervous. He hadn't flown before.What about sentences containing the words 'just', 'already' - can we use the Past Simple instead of the Past Perfect?We weren't hugry because we just had lunch.(= because we had just had lunch).When I got home my parents already went to sleep.(=had already gone to sleep).I know that the Past Perfect is a much better choice, but can the Past Simple Tense be used in these sentences as well?Thank you in advance for your help.Best regards.

Fivejedjon · Accepted Answer

The past perfect should be used in all of your sentences.

Coincidence · Answer

Thank you for your help.
I have just found the information that when we use the words 'before' and 'after' in a sentence, we know which action happened first so the Past Perfect is optional...
I wonder whether the Past Simple could be used when the words 'just' and 'already' appear in a sentence.
Kind regards

CalifJim · Answer

CoincidenceI wonder whether the Past Simple could be used when the words 'just' and 'already' appear in a sentence.

You can do that.

Why is he asking again? I just told him.
I told him about the missing money, but he already knew about it.

CJ

Coincidence · Answer

Thank you for your helpful post

I guess then that these sentences are also wholly correct:

We weren't hugry because we just had lunch.

When I got home my parents already went to sleep.

The sentence below is also correct as the word 'before' implies which action was first:

The man sitting next to me was nervous. He didn't fly before.

Thank you for your further help.
Best regards

CalifJim · Answer

CoincidenceWe weren't hungry because we just had lunch.

I'm sure I've heard something like this, but I'm not overjoyed by it. 'had had' is better, in my opinion.

CoincidenceWhen I got home my parents already went to sleep.

"when" is tricky. You'll need 'had already gone'.

CoincidenceThe man sitting next to me was nervous. He didn't fly before.

He hadn't flown before.
_____________

This is just a repeat of what you've already had answers for!

I think you're confusing two different ideas:

1. You can use the past simple with 'just' or 'already', i.e., there exist sentences for which this is possible.
2. You can substitute the past simple for any other tense in any sentence you want that has 'just' or 'already'.

The first is true; the second is false. I think the first idea usually works when the sentence has no subordinate clauses of time, but I've never made a study of it so I could be wrong.

CJ

Coincidence · Answer

Thank you.

"This is just a repeat of what you've already had answers for!"

Your examples were different and that's why I asked for confirmation:

Why is he asking again? I just told him. (could be exchanged for: I have just told him - The Present Perfect not the Past Perfect)
I told him about the missing money, but he already knew about it. (I think he Past Simple sounds as natural as The Past Perfect here 'had already known' )

My examples had different context and concerned just the past:
X We weren't hungry because we just had lunch. (had just had)
X When I got home my parents already went to sleep. (had already gone)
X The man sitting next to me was nervous. He didn't fly before. (hadn't flown before)

Since the Past Perfect is naturally used with 'just', 'already' (as the Present Perfect is) I've just wanted to make sure we can sometimes replace the Past Perfect with the Past Simple. I have seen such sentences written by non-native speakers and wanted to get confirmation from a native speaker they were correct. Finally they turned out to be wrong or not wholly correct.

Thank you for your help.

Past Simple/Past Perfect

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