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Hoister Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

That clause and tense sequence

By the time I got home, I was so depressed by the theories my mind had concocted that I had lost my focus on how wonderful the night had really been.

Background: I had had a date and kissed my girlfriend tonight. I was suddenly depressed on my way home because I was worried that their love would eventually fade after tonight.

http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=KSTF3VkdJwcC&pg=PT50&lpg=PT50&dq=%22had+concocted+that+I+had+lost+my+focus%22&source=bl&ots=n035rBvnkv&sig=yPBD2UIEZmdlNzW74ghnlyyEp6M&hl=zh-TW&ei=z7wITYGxN4PTrQeplrzVDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22had%20concocted%20that%20I%20had%20lost%20my%20focus%22&f=false


Hi, I'd like to know if I had lost my focus happened prior to theories I had concocted, or did they happen at the same time? The tense sequence with "That clause" is quite confusing.  
  

Top answer

Hi, By the time I got home, I was so depressed by the theories my mind had concocted that I had lost my focus on how wonderful the night had really been. Background: I had had a date and kissed my girlfriend tonight. I was suddenly depressed on my way home because I was worried that their love would eventually fade after tonight.

— Clive

  • Hi, By the time I got home, I was so depressed by the theories my mind had concocted that I had lost my focus on how wonderful the night had really been.
  • Background: I had had a date and kissed my girlfriend tonight.
  • I was suddenly depressed on my way home because I was worried that their love would eventually fade after tonight.
  • Hi, I'd like to know if I had lost my focus happened prior to theories I had concocted, or did they happen at the same time?
  • The tense sequence with "That clause" is quite confusing.
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2 Answers
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Hi,
By the time I got home, I was so depressed by the theories my mind had concocted that I had lost my focus on how wonderful the night had really been.

Background: I had had a date and kissed my girlfriend tonight. I was suddenly depr
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HoisterThe tense sequence ... is quite confusing.
That may be, but there are other cues to look at which are useful in determining the time line.

depressed by the theories my mind had concocted

by is a cue for a cause. Causes precede effects. So t
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