[Grammar] confusing past tenses

[heyt]

Hi,

could you help find out how can I best say that 'first she didn't want to come but than I could convince her to come'

I feel the 2nd and 4th sentences to be good.

1. She didn't want to come, but finally we could convince her.
2. She hadn't wanted to come, but finally we could convince her.
3. She didn't want to come, but finally we were able to convince her.
4. She hadn't wanted to come, but finally we were able to convince her.

thanks a lot, :-D
heyt

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi,

could you help find out how can I best say that 'first she didn't want to come but than I could convince her to come'

I feel the 2nd and 4th sentences to be good.

1. She didn't want to come, but finally we could convince her.
2. She hadn't wanted to come, but finally we could convince her.
3. She didn't want to come, but finally we were able to convince her.
4. She hadn't wanted to come, but finally we were able to convince her.

thanks a lot, :-D
heyt

1 & 2 = definitely not.
3 = OK
4 = best (for me)

 

[bertietheblue]

3 & 4 both OK. Also, 'we convinced her' is fine instead of 'we were able to convince her' (indeed, the fewer the words the better should be a guiding principle when writing English) unless you are emphasising the effort of convincing her.