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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Past.past perfect
They grew up while I was away.
They had grown up while I was away.
Could you please tell what's the difference between them?
They had grown up while I was away.
Could you please tell what's the difference between them?
Top answer
Anonymous They grew up while I was away. It's a statement of fact of their growing up in the past (while I was away). Anonymous They had grown up while I was away.
- Anonymous They grew up while I was away.
- It's a statement of fact of their growing up in the past (while I was away).
- Anonymous They had grown up while I was away.
- I'd write it like this: They had been growing up while I was away .
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3 Answers
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AnonymousThey grew up while I was away.It's a statement of fact of their growing up in the past (while I was away).
AnonymousThey had grown up while I was away.I'd write it like this: They had been growing up while I was away.
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AnonymousThey grew up while I was away.They had grown up while I was away.Could you please tell what's the difference between them?The first has the present moment as its temporal reference point. "I was away" until now.
The second has some moment in the past as its temporal reference point. "I was away" until some time in the past.
CJ
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These could be used, for example, in the following situations:
1. "My wife and I separated for several years when the kids were toddlers. They grew up while I was away."
2. "When I met my kids again years later, they were in high school and I didn't recognize them. They had grown up while I was away."
1. "My wife and I separated for several years when the kids were toddlers. They grew up while I was away."
2. "When I met my kids again years later, they were in high school and I didn't recognize them. They had grown up while I was away."
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