The past simple vs the past perfect
Hi. Could you show me the difference between these 2 sentences?
1. Their mercenaries were better, because they were trained in difficult conditions.
2. Their mercenaries were better, because they had been trained in difficult conditions.
I'm not sure about the meaning of the first example. Does it mean that this training was a habit, which lasted until they became good?
Top answer
witty witty 764 I'm not sure about the meaning of the first example. Does it mean that this training was a habit, which lasted until they became good? It suggests that the training happened at about the same time as the 'betterness'.
- witty witty 764 I'm not sure about the meaning of the first example.
- Does it mean that this training was a habit, which lasted until they became good?
- It suggests that the training happened at about the same time as the 'betterness'.
- Your second sentence makes it clear that the training was completed before the 'betterness' appeared.
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witty witty 764I'm not sure about the meaning of the first example. Does it mean that this training was a habit, which lasted until they became good?
It suggests that the training happened at about the same time as the 'betterness'. Your second sentence makes it clear that the training was completed before the 'betterness' appeared.
0In (1), "were trained" happens concurrently with "were better". In (2), "had been trained" happened before "were better". (1) could also be interpreted as a faulty, or at least inferior, way of saying (2).
(Cross-posted.)
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