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Some very basic grammar questions

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Latest post Thu, Sep 18 2008 10:58 PM by nokia. 11 replies.
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nokia  +  567262 Wed, 17 Sep 08 07:01 PM
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Hope that someone could answer these very basic English grammar questions (feeling a bit embarrassed posting them here.. :P):

 A. I left university before I had taken the final exam.

B. I left university before I took the final exams.

A. She sacked him before he had had a chance to explain his behavior.

B. She sacked him before he had a chance to explain his behavior.

 

Are they all grammatically correct or only A is correct?

 

Thanks!
nokia
Joined on Wed, Sep 17 2008
New Member 20
, ,
Doll  +  567313 Wed, 17 Sep 08 09:29 PM

Hello, welcome to EF.    

nokia
“    My try:

 A. I left university before I had taken the final exam. --- Doesn't sound right to me. The precedence of the the events is important here. First off you should deide which event happens first.  For this sentece I would write " I had left university before I took the final exam." First you leave university.

B. I left university before I took the final exams. ---- This sentence doesn't sound wrong to me but not as detailed as the sentence I wrote.

 

A. She sacked him before he had had a chance to explain his behavior.    My comments with these sentences are the same with the previous ones.

B. She sacked him before he had a chance to explain his behavior.

 

 

”
Doll
Joined on Sat, Mar 10 2007
Senior Member 2,806
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Avangi  +  567333 Wed, 17 Sep 08 10:25 PM
Doll's point seems perfectly correct, but for some reason my ear accepts the "A." examples.  I thought I had it figured out, but I guess I'll have to think again.    - A.
Avangi
Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007
Veteran Member 7,923
". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier
, ,
Newguest  +  567344 Wed, 17 Sep 08 11:01 PM

Hi

I would say: I had left the university before I took the final exam. OR I left the university before taking the final exam

She had sacked him before he had a chance to explain his behaviour
Newguest
Joined on Sun, Feb 25 2007
Senior Member 2,053
,
Clive  +  567352 Wed, 17 Sep 08 11:37 PM
Hi guys,

 A. I left university before I had taken the final exam.

B. I left university before I took the final exams.

A. She sacked him before he had had a chance to explain his behavior.

B. She sacked him before he had a chance to explain his behavior.

Are they all grammatically correct or only A is correct?

They are all OK.
The Past Perfect is often not used when a word 'like 'before' or 'after' makes the sequence of events clear.

Best wishes, Clive
Clive
Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
Veteran Member 29,298
El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
, ,
Newguest  +  567478 Thu, 18 Sep 08 09:40 AM

Hi

It seems to me that it is incorrect to use "I had taken" in the first example because first I left the university and only then could I take an exam, not the other way round. So I would say either I had left the university before I took the final exam OR I left the university before I took the final exam.

The same with: She sacked him before he HAD HAD a chance to explain his behaviour. --personally I see no reason for using "had had a chance" I would rather say: She HAD sacked him.. (because it happened first before he managed to explain himself) OR I would say: She sacked him before he had a chance to explain his behaviour, but I wouldn't use "had had a chance"

Thanks 
Newguest
,
Newguest, 1 yr 50 days ago

Newguest
“

Hi

It seems to me that it is incorrect to use "I had taken" in the first example because first I left the university and only then could I take an exam, not the other way round. So I would say either I had left the university before I took the final exam OR I left the university before I took the final exam.

The same with: She sacked him before he HAD HAD a chance to explain his behaviour. --personally I see no reason for using "had had a chance" I would rather say: She HAD sacked him.. (because it happened first before he managed to explain himself) OR I would say: She sacked him before he had a chance to explain his behaviour, but I wouldn't use "had had a chance"

Thanks 

”

Do you agree with me guys?

Philip  +  567577 Thu, 18 Sep 08 04:18 PM
Clive
“Hi guys,

 A. I left university before I had taken the final exam.

B. I left university before I took the final exams.

A. She sacked him before he had had a chance to explain his behavior.

B. She sacked him before he had a chance to explain his behavior.

Are they all grammatically correct or only A is correct?

They are all OK.
The Past Perfect is often not used when a word 'like 'before' or 'after' makesthe sequence of events clear.

Best wishes, Clive

”
My question:  is there a sequence of events?  If he didn't take the exam, the clause should be without taking the final exam, to be specific and not misleading.  I find this type of thing [I'd call it a mistake] quite often, and it bugs me no end.
Philip
Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005
Veteran Member 8,604
At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen
Doll  +  567603 Thu, 18 Sep 08 05:39 PM

Hi Clive,  

Could you give us more explanation about your points because I afree Newguest and I didn't understand your reason. (Should I use a question mark?)   

Take care.
Doll
,
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