The cautious rabbit didn’t move until the dog was gone.

[Shee]

My original sentence was:

1. The cautious rabbit didn’t move until the dog was gone.

Someone changed it to:

2. The cautious rabbit didn’t move until the dog had gone.


I am skeptical about putting past perfect tense there and I think if past perfect tense is desired, it should be:

3. The cautious rabbit had not moved until the dog was gone.


Which one is more correct? I have consulted 3 native English speakers and 2 of them said no. 2 & 3 sounded better but didn't/couldn't explain why no. 1 was not right (in fact the 3rd native speaker preferred no. 1)?

As far as I know, past perfect tense and past tense when used together, Past perfect tense is the action before past tense so why is no. 2 correct? - the rabbit waited first, then the dog left.

Your input is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

All three mean pretty much the same thing. I like your first version best. The second means exactly the same thing.

The third is hard to sort out. It seems grammatical, but I don't know how you'd actually use it.

 

[Tarheel]

You numbered your sentences, but they all have the same number.
:-|

 

[jutfrank]

Which one is more correct? I have consulted 3 native English speakers and 2 of them said no. 2 & 3 sounded better but didn't/couldn't explain why no. 1 was not right (in fact the 3rd native speaker preferred no. 1)?

1 and 2 are both good. 3 is incorrect.

As far as I know, past perfect tense and past tense when used together, Past perfect tense is the action before past tense so why is no. 2 correct? - the rabbit waited first, then the dog left.

In this case, the dog went first and then the rabbit moved.

 

[Shee]

All three mean pretty much the same thing. I like your first version best. The second means exactly the same thing.

The third is hard to sort out. It seems grammatical, but I don't know how you'd actually use it.

Thank you for your response.
I am still surprised why my first version got altered and in fact one of the three native speakers I consulted was an English teacher (but not ESL) and she didn't buy version 1. I am so confused.

 

[Shee]

You numbered your sentences, but they all have the same number.
:-|

Thanks for pointing that out. I am quite certain I had them numbered 1,2,3 but not sure what happened. I have no way to edit my post either (guess because I am a newbie here).

 

[Shee]

1 and 2 are both good. 3 is incorrect.



In this case, the dog went first and then the rabbit moved.

Thank you for your reply. I thought the actions were rabbit "didn't move" then dog "was gone"? - so we only look at "move"?

So if the verb is changed to "remained still", will the following be correct:

"The cautious rabbit had reminded still until the dog was gone" ?

Your input in greatly appreciated.

 

[Tarheel]

Thank you for your reply. I thought the actions were rabbit "didn't move" then dog "was gone"? - so we only look at "move"?

So if the verb is changed to "remained still", will the following be correct:

"The cautious rabbit remained still until the dog was gone" ?

Your input is greatly appreciated.

"Remained still" is OK. Also "stayed still" would work.

 

[Tarheel]

Perhaps:

The cautious rabbit stayed still until the dog was gone. Ha! Then the cat got it. Poor rabbit!

 

[Tarheel]

Shee, there are two actions--waiting, and moving. The rabbit saw an enemy (a dog), so it stayed still until the enemy left. Then and only then did it move.

(Where did the rabbit learn that tactic--a tortoise?)

 

[jutfrank]

I thought the actions were rabbit "didn't move" then dog "was gone"?[ - so we only look at "move"?

Think about the meaning of the sentence. The dog left before the rabbit moved.

So if the verb is changed to "remained still", will the following be correct:

"The cautious rabbit had remained still until the dog was gone" ?

You can change the verb but you still can't use past perfect there in the first clause. You need to keep it in past simple.

The cautious rabbit remained still until the dog was/had gone. :tick:

The sequence of events is still the same—the dog leaves first and then the rabbit moves. Your confusion lies in the fact that you're thinking about the verbs rather than the actions of the dog and rabbit.

 

[Shee]

Re: The cautious rabbit didnÂ’t move until the dog was gone.

Think about the meaning of the sentence. The dog left before the rabbit moved.



You can change the verb but you still can't use past perfect there in the first clause. You need to keep it in past simple.

The cautious rabbit remained still until the dog was/had gone. :tick:

The sequence of events is still the same—the dog leaves first and then the rabbit moves. Your confusion lies in the fact that you're thinking about the verbs rather than the actions of the dog and rabbit.

Thank you for your reply. I truly appreciate it people here taking the time to help me with my questions. And I think I could see your point about the actions - what I was thinking was (I'm trying to elaborate them in a timeline):

Rabbit remains/stays still --> dog leaves ----> rabbit moves


Therefore, my logic was the rabbit's "staying still" came before the dog's departure, hence my past perfect tense was in the rabbit's action (of not moving).

If both parts/verbs in the sentence had been affirmative, I would have had no question saying "The rabbit moved after the dog had gone". My confusion was the verb being negative (not move = stay still).

Anyway, I think I am clear now and thank you again for your input.

Last but not least, so my first sentence "The cautious rabbit didn't move until the dog was gone" was correct (I posted the original question because my sentence was corrected to "had gone"). lol

Have a good one and stay healthy.