Moncs
New member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2013
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- English
- Home Country
- UK
- Current Location
- Japan
Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
I was embarrassed because she ______(arrive) before I _____(wrap up) her birthday present.
Book answer : arrived/had wrapped.
Students answer: had arrived/wrapped.
The book answer sounds correct but I'm really struggling to explain why.
If you take 'before' to mean 'a time earlier than', then the arrival is before the wrapping.
I also changed it to:
I was delighted because she arrived after I had wrapped up her birthday present.
And then:
I was embarrassed because she arrived after I hadn't wrapped up her birthday present.
This sounds terrible but is grammatically correct right?
Any help much appreciated. ;-)
I was embarrassed because she ______(arrive) before I _____(wrap up) her birthday present.
Book answer : arrived/had wrapped.
Students answer: had arrived/wrapped.
The book answer sounds correct but I'm really struggling to explain why.
If you take 'before' to mean 'a time earlier than', then the arrival is before the wrapping.
I also changed it to:
I was delighted because she arrived after I had wrapped up her birthday present.
And then:
I was embarrassed because she arrived after I hadn't wrapped up her birthday present.
This sounds terrible but is grammatically correct right?
Any help much appreciated. ;-)