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Юриспунденкция

Past and past perfect tenses in time clauses

1. Clauses with when

a) When one past action follows another, He called her a liar, She smacked his face, we can combine them by using when:

When he called her a liar she smacked his face.

When two simple past tenses are used in this way there is usually the idea that the first action led to the second and that the second followed the first very closely or if the earlier action was a short one and they did not happen simultaneously:

When he opened the window' the bird flew out.

When the play ended the audience went home.

When I put the cat out it ran off into the bushes.

Compare:

When we got back the babysitter went home. (first we got back, then she went home)

When we got back the babysitter had gone home. (first she went home, then we got back)

b) The past perfect is used after ‘when’ when we wish to make it clear or to emphasize that the first action was completed before the second one started:

When I had read the letter, I started to cry. (I finished the letter before I started to cry.)

Compare with:

When I read the letter, I started to cry. (I started to cry after I started reading the letter.)

When he had shut the window we opened the door of the cage. (We waited for the window to be quite shut before opening the cage.)

When she had sung her song she sat down. (Note: 'When she sang her song she sat down" might give the impression that she sang seated. The same is: When I had washed the cat it ran off into the bushes).

In a moment the butler came in, to clear up. When he had left again, she said: "Your servant is an honest man, isn't he?"

Compare:

When he had seen all the pictures he said he was ready to leave. (When he had finished looking…)

When he saw all the pictures he expressed amazement that one man should have painted so many. (Immediately he saw them he said this.)

c) the Past Perfect is usual when the subjects of the two clauses are the same:

When I had put the cat out I locked the door.

When they had shown him round, fed him on their best, and thrust him into their softest chair, they eagerly demanded news.

Still, even if the subjects are the same the Past Simple is usually used when we are talking about people’s immediate reactions:

When she saw the mouse she screamed.

When they reached Grosvenor Square, Angela got out of the taxi and looked about her, puzzled.

When she returned with the grammar, she drew a chair near

2. We can also use the past perfect in this way with as soon as, the moment, immediately.

As soon as I had told her the news, I regretted it.

She ushered me out of the room as soon as I paid/ had paid my subscription

3. In after clauses

After the will had been read there were angry exclamations.

To emphasize that the second event is the result of the first we prefer the past simple for both:

She became famous after she appeared on the TV.

With terminative verbs the Past Perfect may be replaced by the Past Indefinite.

After we had passed our exams, we went out to celebrate.

We can also say:

After we passed our exams, we went out to celebrate.

Shortly after we returned from Basel, Roy moved to London.

After we rose from the table James immediately went to make a telephone call.

The use of the past perfect merely emphasizes the fact that the event in the after clause preceded the other event. It is correct to use either the past perfect or the past simple in after clauses.

4. The past perfect can be used with till/until and before to emphasize the completion or expected completion of an action.

If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be used instead of the Past Perfect when before or after is used in the sentence. Both sentences below are correct.

She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996. She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

If the Past Perfect action did not happen at a specific time, Past Perfect must be used at all times.

She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska.

a) in till/until + past perfect + simple past combinations the simple past action may precede the past perfect action;

He refused to go till he had seen all the pictures.

He did not wait till we had finished our meal.

b) in before + past perfect + simple past combinations the simple past action will always precede the past perfect action The Past Perfect here refers to a later action which was not completed or done in time It is rendered in Russian as прежде, чем я успел, смог:

Before we had finished our meal he ordered us back to work.

Before we had walked ten miles he complained of sore feet.

He died before I had had a chance to speak to him.

She went out before o had realized what was happening.

I discovered the news before I had bееn in the house for аn hour.

Уоu would have to talk to him before he had made uр his mind

Past perfect tenses in both time clause and main clause are also possible:

It was a very expensive town. Before we had been here a week we had spent all our money.

5. If action of one of the clauses is not fully accomplished before the action of the other clause occurs, the unaccomplished action is expressed by the Past Perfect.

They had not gone four miles before he understood that it was going to rain.

He had not been there for two days before he admitted that he should not have accepted the invitation.

Sentences of this kind are best rendered in Russian as не успели они... как, не успев проехать и... , etc.

6. Verbs of knowing, understanding etc. are not normally used in the past perfect tense in time clauses except when accompanied by an expression denoting a period of time:

When she had known me for a year she invited me to tea but

When I knew the work of one department thoroughly I was moved to the next department

As soon as I knew etc.

Compare with:

When I had learnt the work of one department I was moved.

7. The Past Perfect is used in the principal clause of а complex sentence with an adverbial clause of time introduced bу the conjunctions scarcely... when, hardly... when, nearly... when, по sooner... (the word order is often inverted):

She had hardly sat down when а very stout gentleman flopped into the chair near her.

No sooner had they established themselves in the house than he perceived to his dismay а return о/ her gloomy mood.

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