http://www.englishforums.com/English/GeneralEnglishGrammarQuestions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here.enCSMOD (Build: 3273.32735)http://www.englishforums.com/English/LaughedAt/gwhjp/post.htm#542621Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:37:49 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:542621khoff0http://www.englishforums.com/English/LaughedAt/gwhjp/post.htm#542621http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-542621.xml<p>Vincent, in your sentence, it&#39;s not clear who John laughed at, or who tricked the villagers.</p> <p>I think you want to say, &quot;John laughed at the villagers because he had tricked them&quot; (or &quot;because they had been tricked&quot; -- in this case, they might have been tricked by someone other than John.)&quot;)</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>http://www.englishforums.com/English/LaughedAt/gwhjw/post.htmWed, 16 Jul 2008 22:06:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:542614Vincent Teo1http://www.englishforums.com/English/LaughedAt/gwhjw/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-542614.xmlCan I say,<br /><br />John laughed at them because he tricked / had tricked the villagers. <br /><br />(ii) ... because the villagers had been tricked.<div style="clear:both;"></div>