[Grammar] ago/before

[wahaha]

He said he had had his watch repaired ________.
(A) three days ago (B) three days before (C) ago (D) before

The answer is B D.

Why is A not a correct answer?

I found an explanation about the difference of ago and before.

Ago always counts back from the present time. Note that if we are counting back from a past time, before or earlier or previously are used, not ago:

I met him at the AIDS conference in Durban in December 2002 when he told me that he had contracted AIDS four years before. ( = 6 years ago)


So, can we say "I met him at the AIDS conference in Durban in December 2002 when he told me that he had contracted AIDS 6 years ago"?:roll:

 

[BobK]

He said he had had his watch repaired ________.
(A) three days ago (B) three days before (C) ago (D) before

The answer is B D.

Why is A not a correct answer?

I found an explanation about the difference of ago and before.

Ago always counts back from the present time. Note that if we are counting back from a past time, before or earlier or previously are used, not ago:

I met him at the AIDS conference in Durban in December 2002 when he told me that he had contracted AIDS four years before. ( = 6 years ago)


So, can we say "I met him at the AIDS conference in Durban in December 2002 when he told me that he had contracted AIDS 6 years ago"?:roll:

Follow the logic of what you've been told. 'Ago' means 'counting back from the time of speaking'. In this case 'ago' means counting back from the time of the utterance "I met him...".

b