Past tense and past perfect

Question

Example: I learned more today than I did all week. (OR) I learned more today than I had all week.Are both sentences correct? Since 'learned' is past tense, would it be accurate to use 'had' because it is past perfect?

Yankee · Accepted Answer

Hi Anon

Although "had" is possible, I think I'd prefer "did". I don't think anyone would interpret a real difference in terms of meaning.

By the way, you could also use "have" (rather than "did" or "had") if you were viewing "today" as being finished, but the week were not yet over.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousExample: I learned more today than I did all week. (OR) I learned more today than I had all week.

Are both sentences correct? Since 'learned' is past tense, would it be accurate to use 'had' because it is past perfect?

The sentence suggests that today is the last in a series of seven days. That means there is no separation in time between the progression of the days of the week and the current day. But had implies a separation -- a going back to a time previous to the span of time on which the sentence focuses. The two contradict. I find had a bit anomalous for this reason. A more appropriate use of had, in my opinion, is the following, where there is a clearer separation in time:

I learned more today than I had during that entire week last month (when we discussed the same subject).

CJ

Past tense and past perfect

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