sequence of tenses

**Will17** · 09-Jul-2011, 09:50

Hello!

I would like to know if we can use both the past perfect and the past simple interchangeably here. Can you help me please?

"She had been/was jobless for a long time when she started writing these books".

Thank you
Will

**Allen165** · 09-Jul-2011, 10:41

Originally Posted by Will17

Hello!

I would like to know if we can use both the past perfect and the past simple interchangeably here. Can you help me please?

"She had been/was jobless for a long time when she started writing these books".

Thank you
Will

NOT A TEACHER.

Only "had been" works for me. If you took out "for a long time," "was jobless" would be correct.