0
Snarf Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Took vs Had Taken

Please look at this sentence, spoken by a character. I am confused about something:

"I sent very talented, high-priced choir men to her office to sing her an apology about the whole incident that I took the time to write."

Should it be " that I had taken the time to write," instead of "that I took the time to write," since it was written prior to it being sung? Also, should it end with the word "myself?"

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Snarf Should it be " that I had taken the time to write," instead of "that I took the time to write," since it was written prior to it being sung? Yes. " You can if you want to (I personally wouldn't).

— RandomGuy

  • Snarf Should it be " that I had taken the time to write," instead of "that I took the time to write," since it was written prior to it being sung?
  • Yes.
  • " You can if you want to (I personally wouldn't).
  • Intensive pronouns are always optional.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

4 Answers
0
SnarfShould it be " that I had taken the time to write," instead of "that I took the time to write," since it was written prior to it being sung?
Yes.
SnarfAlso, should it end with the word "myself?"
You can if you want to (I personally wouldn't). Intensive pronouns are always optional.
0
0
Snarf"I sent very talented, high-priced choir men to her office to sing her an apology about the whole incident that I took the time to write."
Where did you see this? If you change the tense of "took", it does not improve the grammar.
It should not end with "myself", either.

These make more sense, but I don't know what was meant - did he apologi
0
0
It's neither of those. He had taken the time to write a song that was supposed to be an apology, and it was sung as a singagram by a barbershop quartet. That's why it says, "to her office to sing her an apology about the whole incident..." I can understand why it might be harder for you to understand, when the sentence is standing alone out of context like that, though.
0
0
Ah! OK, it is clearer now.
Is this what you had in mind?

I sent very talented, high-priced choir men to her office to sing her a song that I had taken the time to compose apologizing for the whole incident.
0

Related Questions