Tenses
I was reading a short story the other night and stumbled upon a line which got me thinking of a proper use of past simple and past perfect continuous tenses. So the line goes: "Suitcases were filled to the point where you couldn’t even fully zip them. Warren didn't have any preferences when he'd been packing up". Does this line imply that Warren had preferences after he was done packing up? If it doesn't, wouldn't it be more grammatically correct to say: "Warren hadn't had any preferences when he'd been packing up? Thank you in advance.
Top answer
I agree that the original sounds odd. What do the writer mean here by 'preferences'? Preferences about what?
- I agree that the original sounds odd.
- What do the writer mean here by 'preferences'?
- Preferences about what?
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I agree that the original sounds odd.
What do the writer mean here by 'preferences'? Preferences about what?
0'Preferences' of things he'd been packing. The whole story is about it.
So what do you think? Should it be "hadn't had" instead of "didn't have" Yes.
Or He didn't have any preferences when he was packing up.
It's the word 'preferences' that troubles me here. The meaning in this context is unclear.
I think you mean Wayne (had) ju
0
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