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Goronsky Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

"Yesterday, she called" vs. "Yesterday, she had called"

Is there a difference in meaning in these two sentences? If so, what is the difference in meaning?

Mitch said, "Yesterday, she called."
Mitch said, "Yesterday, she had called."

Thank you.
  

Top answer

goronsky Is there a difference in meaning in these two sentences? If so, what is the difference in meaning? There is.

— Xerxes

  • goronsky Is there a difference in meaning in these two sentences?
  • If so, what is the difference in meaning?
  • There is.
  • The second example uses the past perfect tense ("...
  • had called") and, in its present form, looks nonsensical to me.
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3 Answers
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goronskyIs there a difference in meaning in these two sentences? If so, what is the difference in meaning?
There is. The second example uses the past perfect tense ("...had called") and, in its present form, looks nonsensical to me.
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To elaborate:

Mitch said, "Yesterday, she called".
You are using the simple past here, and it works like a charm.

Mitch said that she had called the day before.
You are using the past perfect in the second part of the sentence, and it works like a charm as well because its use is appropriate (two past events, and the one that happened before the othe
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