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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

when - before

0In 01i00A Practical English Grammar02i00 A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet say that the past perfect is used after 01b00when02b00 when we wish to emphasize that the first action was completed before the second one started:02br
02br
01i00When he had shut the window we opened the door of the cage. 02i02br
02br
01font00Is it preferred to "When he shut the window we opened the door of the cage"? Any difference in meaning?02font02br
02br
01i00When she had sung her song she sat down.02i00 ('When she sang her song she sat down' might give the impression that she sang seated.)02br
02br
01font00Do you agree with this?02font02br
02br
01i00He refused to go till he had seen all the pictures.02i02br
02br
01i00Before we had walked ten miles he complained of sore throat.02i02br
02br
01font00Here the above mentioned writers say that the action in the simple past precedes the action in the past perfect. Actually correct as it might be, this is weird, isn't it? Is this sequence (Conjunction + Past Perfect + Simple past)?02font02br
02br
01font00PS: Isn't it necessary to use commas when the conjunction is at the beginning of the sentence? Thanks in advance.02font0-
  

Top answer

02i 01font 00 Is it preferred to "When he shut the window we opened the door of the cage"? Any difference in meaning? 02font 01b 00--02b 01font 00 02font 01b 00Yes.

— Mister Micawber

  • 02i 01font 00 Is it preferred to "When he shut the window we opened the door of the cage"?
  • Any difference in meaning?
  • 02font 01b 00--02b 01font 00 02font 01b 00Yes.
  • ) Do you agree with this?
  • 02font 01b 00--Yes02b 02br 02br 01i 00He refused to go till he had seen all the pictures.
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6 Answers
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0 01i02br
00When he had shut the window we opened the door of the cage.02i01font00 Is it preferred to "When he shut the window we opened the door of the cage"? Any difference in meaning? 02font01b00--02b01font00 02font01b00Yes. Past perfect indicates that t
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*71*0 01blockquote
01cite10Mister Micawber12cite11i12br
10When he had shut the window we opened the door of the cage.12i11span10 Is it preferred to "When he shut the window we opened the door of the cage"? Any difference in meaning? 12span11b10--12b10 11b
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0 01i00He refused to go till he had seen all the pictures.02i00 01i02br
00 Before we had walked ten miles he complained of a sore throat.02i02br
02br
00 In the first example the refusing comes first. Then (maybe) the seeing of all the pictures. Then (maybe) the (supposed, envisioned) going.02br
02br
00
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0Diamondrg, you're a very good questioner! I often learn from your questions!01blockquote
00The idea of "possible but uncertain completion" or other factors may enter into it.12blockquote
10I'd like to know more about this. Could you explain more about it?05001blockquote
00(1)When the lights went out, I lit some candles.12br

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0Diamondrg, you're a very good questioner! I often learn from your questions!02br
02br
01blockquote
00The idea of "possible but uncertain completion" or other factors may enter into it.12blockquote
10I'd like to know more about this. Could you explain more about it?05002br
01blockquote
00(1)When the lights went
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0 01blockquote
00When he received his visa, he flew to Australia.12br
12blockquote
10This sentence doesn't mean that his receiving his visa is done at the same time as flying to Australia. When the sequence is obvious, there's no need to think about past perfect [had received].02br
02br
00I have a question. What about Sentence (2
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