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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
tenses for the past
0 Hi, 02 br
02 br
00 I learned that when a past perfect is used in sentences with the words 'before' and 'after', the use of a past perfect is not necessary, as in: 02 br
02 br
00 1. I washed/had washed dishes before Mary came into the kitchen. 02 br
02 br
00 Here, am I saying the two events, my washing dishes and Mary's walking in, took place at the same time eventhough my washing should have started before her walking into the kitchen? 02 br
02 br
00 2. I was washing dishes when Mary walking into the kitchen. 02 br
02 br
00 How about here? 02 br
02 br
00 3. I had been washing dishes when Mary walked into the kitchen. 02 br
02 br
00 I think, this one leaves a possibility that my washing could have stopped at the moment Mary walked in although my washing should have been started and continued until the moment of her walking in. 02 br
02 br
00 So between no. 2. and 3, the only difference is no. 2 leaves a possibility that my action could have been stopped, whereas, no. 1. leaves no such possiblity? 0-
02 br
00 I learned that when a past perfect is used in sentences with the words 'before' and 'after', the use of a past perfect is not necessary, as in: 02 br
02 br
00 1. I washed/had washed dishes before Mary came into the kitchen. 02 br
02 br
00 Here, am I saying the two events, my washing dishes and Mary's walking in, took place at the same time eventhough my washing should have started before her walking into the kitchen? 02 br
02 br
00 2. I was washing dishes when Mary walking into the kitchen. 02 br
02 br
00 How about here? 02 br
02 br
00 3. I had been washing dishes when Mary walked into the kitchen. 02 br
02 br
00 I think, this one leaves a possibility that my washing could have stopped at the moment Mary walked in although my washing should have been started and continued until the moment of her walking in. 02 br
02 br
00 So between no. 2. and 3, the only difference is no. 2 leaves a possibility that my action could have been stopped, whereas, no. 1. leaves no such possiblity? 0-
Top answer
02 br 02 br 00 1. 02 b 02 br 02 br 00 2. 02 b 02 br 02 br 00 3.
- 02 br 02 br 00 1.
- 02 b 02 br 02 br 00 2.
- 02 b 02 br 02 br 00 3.
- -- 01 b 00 The washing was finished before she entered-- so there is no call for the progressive aspect.
- 02 br 02 b 0-
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3 Answers
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0 . 02 br
02 br
00 1. I washed dishes before Mary came into the kitchen.-- 01 b 00 The washing was finished before she entered. 02 b 02 br
02 br
00 2. I was washing dishes when Mary walking into the kitchen.-- 01 b 00 She saw you washing dishes. 02 b 02 br
02 br
00 3. I had been washing dishes when Mary walked into the k
02 br
00 1. I washed dishes before Mary came into the kitchen.-- 01 b 00 The washing was finished before she entered. 02 b 02 br
02 br
00 2. I was washing dishes when Mary walking into the kitchen.-- 01 b 00 She saw you washing dishes. 02 b 02 br
02 br
00 3. I had been washing dishes when Mary walked into the k
00
0 Thank you. Can I be able to use the third sentence if I was trying to make a note of the fact that the task of washing dishes was an on-going thing, emphasizing the continuous aspect of it eventhough it was an event that probably was finished when Mary walked in? 02 br
02 br
00 3. I had been washing dishes when Mary walked into the kitchen.-- 01 b 00 The washing was fin
02 br
00 3. I had been washing dishes when Mary walked into the kitchen.-- 01 b 00 The washing was fin
00
0 01 blockquote
01 cite 10 Anonymous 12 cite 10 Thank you. Can I be able to use the third sentence if I was trying to make a note of the fact that the task of washing dishes was an on-going thing, emphasizing the continuous aspect of it eventhough it was an event that probably was finished when Mary walked in? 12 br
12 br
10 3. I had been washi
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