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Ask for help > recently and the past perfect
recently and the past perfect
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Nizarsouth
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recently and the past perfect
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Hi my colleagues! I �m a little bit confused about the use of recently with the past perfect. I know that recently is usually used with the present perfect but is it correct to use it with the past perfect in this example: "I received your letter last week. Thank you for he postcard. You said you had seen Angela recently, but you didn �t say how she was." Thanks a lot for your help. |
21 Sep 2011
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yanogator
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I would say that in a very formal situation, it would be wrong to use "recently" with the past perfect. However, in casual situations, it sounds very natural. John was surprised that he couldn�t find a job. He had recently been laid off, and was sure that he would have no trouble finding employment very quickly. (A more formal wording would be "He had been laid off a short time before,...") Bruce
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21 Sep 2011
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ueslteacher
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It �s reported speech. Because the reporting part of the sentence has a verb in past simple - said, the verb in the reported speech switches from present perfect to past perfect. It �s called sequence of tenses. Google reported speech and you �ll find yourself a nice grammar reference to stand on:) Sophia
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21 Sep 2011
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Nizarsouth
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Hi Bruce! I wonder whether the use of recently with the past perfect is correct: "I received your letter last week. Thank you for he postcard. You said you had seen Angela recently, but you didn �t say how she was." Thank you so much. |
21 Sep 2011
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Nizarsouth
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Hi Sophia! thanks a lot. That �s what i was thinking of. |
21 Sep 2011
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