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dangminh
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Ask for help
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Hi everyone!Please help me to put the verb in the correct tense: At the meeting, John ………………..…(not/speak) until someone…………………..(ask) him some questions. |
14 Aug 2019
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jannabanna
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At the meeting, John didn�t speak until someone asked him some questions. |
14 Aug 2019
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adkal
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I would say: At the meeting, John didn´t speak until someone had asked him some questions. |
14 Aug 2019
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ldthemagicman
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I agree with Adkal. I fact, I think that I would be even more emphatic: "At the meeting, John did not speak untll someone had asked him some questions."
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14 Aug 2019
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yanogator
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I agree with everybody! As Mary said, Jannabanna�s answer reflects current US usage, but "had asked" is still correct in formal US English. Bruce |
14 Aug 2019
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cunliffe
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Thank you for that kind concession, Bruce.  It�s a pity about the US usage; something has been lost there.  Lynne |
15 Aug 2019
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sadbird
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Am I wrong to use the verbs in the following way:
Hadn�t been speaking/ asked
According to the sequence of tenses first he didn�t speak and later someone asked him a question. |
15 Aug 2019
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redcamarocruiser
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I agree with Bruce that the past perfect is used in American English. Googling turned up the hypothesis that educated Americans use the past perfect and less educated Americans substitute simple past in situations where past perfect would be more suitable.
Lynne is right that something is lost when this happens. I believe that precision is lost. 🎓 |
15 Aug 2019
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cunliffe
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Thanks Bruce and Mary! Another thing I�ve noticed creeping in is this �I wish I would have done that� instead of �I wish I had done that� etc. I can see the logic here as you didn�t actually do it, but it still grates to hear that usage!
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16 Aug 2019
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