past perfect(duration form)

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allthewayanime

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Are the following sentences correct , is there a difference if I use after since the past simple or the past perfect?

I hadn't seen him since I last talked to him.
I hadn't seen him since I had last talked to him.
 

billmcd

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Are the following sentences correct , is there a difference if I use after since the past simple or the past perfect?

I hadn't seen him since I last talked to him.
I hadn't seen him since I had last talked to him.

No difference.

 
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allthewayanime

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But is it correct if I have in the main sentence a present perfect to use after 'since' a past simple?
 

bhaisahab

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But is it correct if I have in the main sentence a present perfect to use after 'since' a past simple?

"I hadn't seen him since I last talked to him."
This is one sentence and it's grammatically correct. There is no "main sentence"
 

Raymott

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But is it correct if I have in the main sentence a present perfect to use after 'since' a past simple?
Yes it's correct if the context calls for it.
 
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allthewayanime

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Then why can also the past perfect work after 'since'(also in the same case)?
 

Raymott

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Then why can also the past perfect work after 'since'(also in the same case)?
You can't (if it's the same case). You use the appropriate tense for the context.

Here's a context:
The police are interviewing Peter about when he last saw John. At the time of Interview 1, Peter hasn't seen John since last year. There are two interviews.

Context 1. Peter hasn't seen John recently.
Interview 1. (Last week)
Police: "Have you seen John since you last spoke to him?"
Peter: "No, I haven't."
Interview 2. (Today)
Police: "During the last interview, you said you hadn't seen John since you last talked to him."
Peter: "That's true. I hadn't. And I still haven't seen him since I last spoke to him."

Context 2. Peter saw and spoke to John yesterday (between Interviews 1 and 2)
Interview 1. (Last week)
Police: "Have you seen John since you last spoke to him?"
Peter: "No, I haven't." [Same as last time]
Interview 2. (Today)
Police: "During the last interview, you said you hadn't seen John since you last talked to him."
Peter: "That's true. I hadn't seen him since I had talked to him last. But I spoke to him yesterday. Now, I have seen him since I had spoken to him last."
Seeing someone and talking to them is a bad example, since they both tend to occur at the same time. It would have made more of a contrast if you had chosen more independent actions.

The main point is that you don't use two different tenses "in the same case." You use the tense appropriate to your meaning.
 
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