Why is the past simple used instead of past perfect?
This is from a newspaper: The real reason he was arrested was because he smeared poo all over the walls.
Shouldn't the past perfect be used: he was arrested because he had smeared poo all over the walls. The smearing occurred before the arrest, so why use the past simple?
Top answer
You may use the past perfect tense to emphasise the sequence of events. But it's not necessary when that sequence is obvious from the context. , one follows another, you can use the simple past tense in every clause respectively.
- You may use the past perfect tense to emphasise the sequence of events.
- But it's not necessary when that sequence is obvious from the context.
- , one follows another, you can use the simple past tense in every clause respectively.
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You may use the past perfect tense to emphasise the sequence of events. But it's not necessary when that sequence is obvious from the context. In other words, if there is a chain of events, i.e., one follows another, you can use the simple past tense in every clause respectively.
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