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Damironi71 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
simple past or perfect past
Which tense should I use in the second part of the sentence below?
I did not finish the report yesterday, because I was not sent all the required data or I did not finish the report yesterday, because I had not been sent all the required data.
I did not finish the report yesterday, because I was not sent all the required data or I did not finish the report yesterday, because I had not been sent all the required data.
Top answer
Either tense is fine. The Simple Past is often used instead of Past Perfect in cases where the sequence of events is clear, as it is in your example. Consider this simpler example.
- Either tense is fine.
- The Simple Past is often used instead of Past Perfect in cases where the sequence of events is clear, as it is in your example.
- Consider this simpler example.
- eg Tom died because Mary had shot him.
- eg Tom died because Mary shot him.
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2 Answers
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Either tense is fine.
The Simple Past is often used instead of Past Perfect in cases where the sequence of events is clear, as it is in your example.
Consider this simpler example.
eg Tom died because Mary had shot him.
The Simple Past is often used instead of Past Perfect in cases where the sequence of events is clear, as it is in your example.
Consider this simpler example.
eg Tom died because Mary had shot him.
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Welcome to the forum, damironi.
Please don't post the same question more than once. It can sometimes lead to confusion and wasted effort.
Please don't post the same question more than once. It can sometimes lead to confusion and wasted effort.
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