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Anonymous Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Why past perfect?

Hi. Please help. Could we use a past perfect tense in the following sentence?

He was a fine gentleman. A plaque on the wall commemorates him, noting that he had been a member of this honor society.
  

Top answer

Past perfect tense is OK there (he had been a member at some earlier time, before the plaque was erected). "this honor society" doesn't sound right. It could be that you mean "this honorable society".

— GPY

  • Past perfect tense is OK there (he had been a member at some earlier time, before the plaque was erected).
  • "this honor society" doesn't sound right.
  • It could be that you mean "this honorable society".
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3 Answers
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Past perfect tense is OK there (he had been a member at some earlier time, before the plaque was erected).

"this honor society" doesn't sound right. It could be that you mean "this honorable society".
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'Honor society' is a reasonably common AmE term—I was a member of one in high school—but it may or may not be applicable here.
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Mister Micawber'Honor society' is a reasonably common AmE term
Oh, OK, thanks, I didn't know that, but I should have looked it up...
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