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Andrei Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
The order
1. When the policemen came to the shop, the thieves already have disappeared.
2. When the policemen came to the shop, the thieves have already disappeared.
Which is the correct one? I believe it would be correct to say either the thieves already have disappeared or the thieves have already disappeared.
2. When the policemen came to the shop, the thieves have already disappeared.
Which is the correct one? I believe it would be correct to say either the thieves already have disappeared or the thieves have already disappeared.
Top answer
2 has the correct word order but there is a mistake in the tense. There are two actions in the past but at different times, so we need to say: When the policemen came to the shop, the thieves had already disappeared. We use the past simple for the more recent event (came) , and the past perfect (had disappeared) for an event that took place further back in the past.
- 2 has the correct word order but there is a mistake in the tense.
- There are two actions in the past but at different times, so we need to say: When the policemen came to the shop, the thieves had already disappeared.
- We use the past simple for the more recent event (came) , and the past perfect (had disappeared) for an event that took place further back in the past.
- I hope this helps.
- Mike
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1 Answers
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Hi Andrei,
No.2 has the correct word order but there is a mistake in the tense.
There are two actions in the past but at different times, so we need to say:
When the policemen came to the shop, the thieves had already disappeared.
We use the past simple for the more recent event (came) , and the past perfect (had disappeared) for an event that took place fu
No.2 has the correct word order but there is a mistake in the tense.
There are two actions in the past but at different times, so we need to say:
When the policemen came to the shop, the thieves had already disappeared.
We use the past simple for the more recent event (came) , and the past perfect (had disappeared) for an event that took place fu
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