meaning

[daisy1352]

After a few months the pencil case tore too. By then I could sew, and.... What is the meaning of "by then"?
Thanks

[Tdol]

= by that time, so ealrier she hadn't known how to sew, but at the time she needed to now, she did.

[Humble]

Hi, Daisy,
By then means by that time; perhaps the child was old enough and had learned to sew.
Cheers

[dihen]

Originally Posted by Tdol

...ealrier she hadn't known...

The past perfect is quite confusing for me. I was expecting the simple past. When someone now [knows/has known?] something that he previously [didn't?/doesn't?], he wouldn't say "Now I have known.", he would just say "Now I have known.", is that right?

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by dihen

The past perfect is quite confusing for me. I was expecting the simple past. When someone now [knows/has known?] something that he previously [didn't?/doesn't?], he wouldn't say "Now I have known.", he would just say "Now I have known.", is that right?

No. When someone knows something that he previously didn't know he should say now I know.

~R

[Coffa]

Originally Posted by dihen

The past perfect is quite confusing for me. I was expecting the simple past. When someone now [knows/has known?] something that he previously [didn't?/doesn't?], he wouldn't say "Now I have known.", he would just say "Now I have known.", is that right?

"When someone now knows something that he previously didn't, he would say 'Now I know'."

"When someone has now learnt something that he previously hadn't (learnt), he would say 'Now I have learnt'."

Focus on the key tense words 'now' and 'previously' - they denote 'present' and 'past' respectively. In the first sentence though, the verb describes a state - so it takes present simple tense and past imperfect tense respectively. In the second sentence, the verb is a continuing action - so it takes present perfect (completed now) and past perfect (completed in the past).