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Exp Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

"yesterday," "last year," etc. in past perfect?

1. I have finished my homework today. --present perfect
2. I had finished my homework yesterday. --past perfect
3. I had finished my homework by yesterday. --past perfect
4. I finished my homework yesterday. --simple past

I assume that the second sentence is incorrect, but if so, why? You cannot use an adverb or an adverbial phrase of past time in a past perfect sentence such as "yesterday," "two weeks ago," and "last year," but you can use them if you put "by," "till/until," or "before" in front of them (e.g. "by yesterday," "until last week")?
  

Top answer

Exp You cannot use an adverb or an adverbial phrase of past time in a past perfect sentence such as "yesterday," "two weeks ago," and "last year," Wrong! That rule applies to the present perfect, not to the past perfect. Sentences 1 and 2 are a little awkward as isolated sentences, but they might be OK in the right contexts.

— CalifJim

  • Exp You cannot use an adverb or an adverbial phrase of past time in a past perfect sentence such as "yesterday," "two weeks ago," and "last year," Wrong!
  • That rule applies to the present perfect, not to the past perfect.
  • Sentences 1 and 2 are a little awkward as isolated sentences, but they might be OK in the right contexts.
  • Sentences 3 and 4 are OK, though like 2, 3 has an isolated past perfect, which is hard to interpret without more context.
  • CJ
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2 Answers
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ExpYou cannot use an adverb or an adverbial phrase of past time in a past perfect sentence such as "yesterday," "two weeks ago," and "last year,"
Wrong! That rule applies to the present perfect, not to the past perfect.

Sentences 1 and 2 are a little awkward as isolated sentences, but they might be OK in the right contexts. Sentences 3 and 4
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I am unable to get over your endorsement of the association of the time adverb with the past perfect tense . As far as my knowledge of the language or memory goes some prepositions like before , until , by should precede the time adverb ' yesterday ' to facilitate the combination of the past perfect tense with it .

I hope you will reconsider it .

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