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Laborious Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
Sentence correction
Hi teachers,
Would you please take a look at the following sentence and tell me if it is correct and makes sense?
- After swallowing the frog, the snake had become lethargic.
(I read this sentence in a book today and I thought it wasn't correct because of the past perfect tense in the second part of it).
In my opinion, it would be correct if I said "After swallowing the frog, the snake became lethargic". am I right, teachers? Because the past perfect tense is used to express first of the two events. So, as per this sentence, it (the snake) became lethargic first?
Please make this clear to me, teachers!
Thank you.
Would you please take a look at the following sentence and tell me if it is correct and makes sense?
- After swallowing the frog, the snake had become lethargic.
(I read this sentence in a book today and I thought it wasn't correct because of the past perfect tense in the second part of it).
In my opinion, it would be correct if I said "After swallowing the frog, the snake became lethargic". am I right, teachers? Because the past perfect tense is used to express first of the two events. So, as per this sentence, it (the snake) became lethargic first?
Please make this clear to me, teachers!
Thank you.
Top answer
It all depends on the context. The past perfect is appropriate when describing that, at some past time, the snake was lethargic as a result of having previously eaten a frog. For example, "Last year I bought a snake.
- It all depends on the context.
- The past perfect is appropriate when describing that, at some past time, the snake was lethargic as a result of having previously eaten a frog.
- For example, "Last year I bought a snake.
- After I got it home I fed it a frog.
- "
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6 Answers
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It all depends on the context.
The past perfect is appropriate when describing that, at some past time, the snake was lethargic as a result of having previously eaten a frog. For example, "Last year I bought a snake. After I got it home I fed it a frog. A little later I noticed that, after swallowing the frog, the snake had become lethargic."
The past perfect is appropriate when describing that, at some past time, the snake was lethargic as a result of having previously eaten a frog. For example, "Last year I bought a snake. After I got it home I fed it a frog. A little later I noticed that, after swallowing the frog, the snake had become lethargic."
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Thank you very much, sir, for your reply!
But If I said, "After the snake swallowed the flog, it had become lethargic.", would it be correct?
Thank you.
But If I said, "After the snake swallowed the flog, it had become lethargic.", would it be correct?
Thank you.
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On the time scale, past perfect comes before past tense. So, since snake swallowed first and then it became lethargic, I think the correct way of paraphrasing would be "After the snake had swallowed the frog, it became lethargic.
I am no expert! Just an opinion.
I am no expert! Just an opinion.
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vishaljain23231On the time scale, past perfect comes before past tense. So, since snake swallowed first and then it became lethargic, I think the correct way of paraphrasing would be "After the snake had swallowed the frog, it became lethargic.I am no expert! Just an opinion.That's what I was thinking.
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Thank you all for replying!
So, to conclude, could I say that my original sentence would be more appropriate and more clear in its meaning if I changed it to "After swallowing the frog, the snake becamehad become
Thank you.
So, to conclude, could I say that my original sentence would be more appropriate and more clear in its meaning if I changed it to "After swallowing the frog, the snake became
Thank you.
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Yes. After swallowing the frog, the snake became lethargic is what we would probably say.
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