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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Sentence Structure with "By the Time"
Which of these sentences is correct? Can you please explain how the verbs are related or which tense is being employed? How does "by the time" impact the second verb, or main idea? Thanks!
1) By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he received a huge paycheck.
2) By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck.
3) By the time Juan had finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck.
4) By the time Juan had finished remodeling the house, he received a huge paycheck.
1) By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he received a huge paycheck.
2) By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck.
3) By the time Juan had finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck.
4) By the time Juan had finished remodeling the house, he received a huge paycheck.
Top answer
-- No good. -- OK 3) By the time Juan had finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck. -- Only if a 3rd past action in the context has also been related.
- -- No good.
- -- OK 3) By the time Juan had finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck.
- -- Only if a 3rd past action in the context has also been related.
- -- No good.
- I presume the point is that the paycheck was received before the remodelling was finished; if that is not the case, then all your sentences need recasting.
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13 Answers
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1) By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he received a huge paycheck.-- No good.
2) By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck.-- OK
3) By the time Juan had finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck. -- Only if a 3rd past action in the context has also been related.
4) By the time J
2) By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck.-- OK
3) By the time Juan had finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck. -- Only if a 3rd past action in the context has also been related.
4) By the time J
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There is also
By the time Juan [finishes / has finished] remodeling the house, he will [receive / have received] a huge paycheck. [I'd say that 'have received' is more common.]
And its past counterpart
By the time Juan [finished / had finished] remodeling the house, he would [receive / have received] a huge paycheck. [I'd say that 'have received' is more common.]
By the time Juan [finishes / has finished] remodeling the house, he will [receive / have received] a huge paycheck. [I'd say that 'have received' is more common.]
And its past counterpart
By the time Juan [finished / had finished] remodeling the house, he would [receive / have received] a huge paycheck. [I'd say that 'have received' is more common.]
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Thanks for your help! I have one more question though.
If I use a different time clause such as the moment or as soon as, would 'had' still be accurate because I actually want to say he got the check immediately upon completing the job and not at an earlier time?
If I use a different time clause such as the moment or as soon as, would 'had' still be accurate because I actually want to say he got the check immediately upon completing the job and not at an earlier time?
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AnonymousIf I use a different time clause such as the moment or as soon as, would 'had' still be accurateI think so, but you'd have to give us a sentence or two illustrating exactly what you're talking about.
CJ
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Mister MicawberPast perfect is used when two past events are given and the order of precedence is not quite clear or needs to be emphasized. The past perfect is used for the earlier of the two events.
Are you suggesting that there is no way I could say this sentence ("By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he [had] received a huge paycheck.") usi
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Are you suggesting that there is no way I could say this sentence ("By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he [had] received a huge paycheck.") using receive in the simple past--it has to be past perfect?-- Not at all; past perfect is used for clarification. You don't seem to have read my post.
How can you construct these thoughts using by the time in simple past tense a
How can you construct these thoughts using by the time in simple past tense a
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He finished remodelling the house and immediately received a huge paycheck."
What happened to "by the time"?
I'm actually trying to see how one would construct these sentences to make them one, preceded by the time clause and keeping it in the past because of Mister Micawber's response below:
"1) By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he received a hug
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Mister MicawberThen use #2, as I suggested in the first place.
Thanks for all your help Mister Micawber, but you still haven't explained why #1 is "No good."
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By the time Juan finished remodeling the house, he had received a huge paycheck.
"By the time" expresses a duration in time with an indefinite start, ending at the time the job was finished. The past / past perfect verb combination clarifies the sequence of actions (he received the paycheck at some undefined time before he finished the job.)
Adverbs which do no
"By the time" expresses a duration in time with an indefinite start, ending at the time the job was finished. The past / past perfect verb combination clarifies the sequence of actions (he received the paycheck at some undefined time before he finished the job.)
Adverbs which do no
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