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Latest post Thu, Jul 26 2007 12:24 AM by Anonymous. 4 replies.
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Anonymous  +  396691 Wed, 25 Jul 07 09:29 PM

Hello, and first of all, sorry if this has been brought up before anywhere, but I'm really unsure of where to look.

Okay, my question is this: What is the difference, if any, between the kinds of tenses used in the following two sentences:

  1. "I wish I paid more attention in school."
  2. "I wish I had paid more attention in school."

Thanks for any help.

Clive  +  396698 Wed, 25 Jul 07 09:40 PM

Hi,

my question is this: What is the difference, if any, between the kinds of tenses used in the following two sentences:

I assume you are asking about the meaning that is conveyed by each tense.

  1. "I wish I paid more attention in school." I attend school in the present. I don't pay enough attention.
  2. "I wish I had paid more attention in school." When I was at school in the past, I didn't pay enough attention.

Best wishes, Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
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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
Anonymous, 2 yr 122 days ago
Sorry, yes, that's exactly it. To me, the first means exactly the same as the second but with one less word.
Clive  +  396758 Thu, 26 Jul 07 12:09 AM

Hi again,

Do you understand the difference now?

Clive

Anonymous, 2 yr 122 days ago
Yes, thanks very much, you've made it much clearer for me now!
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