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Jandi Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Tense
Hello, teachers!
Would you please tell me which tense is correct or better?
1. He told me airily that he [got, had gotten] all A's in his midterms.
2. He told me seriously in his hospital room that he [saw, had seen] his mother who [died, had died] around 15 years ago.
3. He told me outright that he didn't want to talk because I [upset, had upset] him.
Thank you very much.
Peace!
Would you please tell me which tense is correct or better?
1. He told me airily that he [got, had gotten] all A's in his midterms.
2. He told me seriously in his hospital room that he [saw, had seen] his mother who [died, had died] around 15 years ago.
3. He told me outright that he didn't want to talk because I [upset, had upset] him.
Thank you very much.
Peace!
Top answer
1. He told me airily that he [got, had got/gotten] all A's in his midterms. Both OK.
- 1.
- He told me airily that he [got, had got/gotten] all A's in his midterms.
- Both OK.
- 'Had got/gotten' is more formally correct.
- 2.
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1 Answers
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1. He told me airily that he [got, had got/gotten] all A's in his midterms. Both OK. 'Had got/gotten' is more formally correct.
2. He told me seriously in his hospital room that he [saw, had seen] (both OK. 'Saw' is at the same time as 'told'; 'had seen' is previously.) his mother, who died (the 'ago' ties it directly to the present, hence simple past) arou
2. He told me seriously in his hospital room that he [saw, had seen] (both OK. 'Saw' is at the same time as 'told'; 'had seen' is previously.) his mother, who died (the 'ago' ties it directly to the present, hence simple past) arou
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