Moivile Posted 18 years ago
Hello,
Are these correct?
I came to his place before he played chess = I came to his place before he began playing chess.
I came to his place before he had played chess = I came to his place before he finished playing chess.
And another question:
What difference is there between the meanings of the following sentences?
I came to his place before he read the book
I came to his place before he had read the book
Thanks!!!
Grammar
before+Past Perfect vs. before+Past Simple
Hello,
Are these correct?
I came to his place before he played chess = I came to his place before he began playing chess.
I came to his place before he had played chess = I came to his place before he finished playing chess.
And another question:
What difference is there between the meanings of the following sentences?
I came to his place before he read the book
I came to his place before he had read the book
Thanks!!!
Top answer
There is no call for past perfect in your sentences. 'Before' is an adequate sequence marker. These are correct: I came to his place before he played chess = I came to his place before he began playing chess.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
0
.
There is no call for past perfect in your sentences. 'Before' is an adequate sequence marker. These are correct:
I came to his place before he played chess = I came to his place before he began playing chess.
I came to his place before he finished playing chess = I came to his place before he finished playing chess.
I cam
There is no call for past perfect in your sentences. 'Before' is an adequate sequence marker. These are correct:
I came to his place before he played chess = I came to his place before he began playing chess.
I came to his place before he finished playing chess = I came to his place before he finished playing chess.
I cam
00
0
.
Please read through California Jim's careful analysis. I repeat: There is no call for past perfect in your sentences. 'Before' is an adequate sequence marker in your sentences. It is only needed if some sort of stress is required for the precedence of the earlier action.
.
Please read through California Jim's careful analysis. I repeat: There is no call for past perfect in your sentences. 'Before' is an adequate sequence marker in your sentences. It is only needed if some sort of stress is required for the precedence of the earlier action.
.
00
Do I understand rightly?
I came to his place before he was reading the book = I came to his place before he began reading the book
I came to his place before he read the book = I came to his place before he finished reading the book.
I came to his place before he had read the book = I came to his place before the moment when he had already read the whole
00
.
I think you are over-structuring and getting it very wrong.
I came to his place before he was reading the book -- This is not good/normal English, since the durational event (was reading) is totally outside the time of the point event (came).
I came to his place before he read the book = I came to his place before he started?
I think you are over-structuring and getting it very wrong.
I came to his place before he was reading the book -- This is not good/normal English, since the durational event (was reading) is totally outside the time of the point event (came).
I came to his place before he read the book = I came to his place before he started?
00
0
0
.
I can't tell whether 'read the book' means 'read all of the book' or 'read some of the book'. It is somewhat ambiguous.
.
I can't tell whether 'read the book' means 'read all of the book' or 'read some of the book'. It is somewhat ambiguous.
.
00
Well, but “had read the book” means “read all of the book”, isn’t it?
00
.
Yes, it puts the whole incident clearly in the previous past-- and that is what past perfect's for.
.
Yes, it puts the whole incident clearly in the previous past-- and that is what past perfect's for.
.
0