EngLearner
Member
- Joined
- May 13, 2023
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Ukrainian
- Home Country
- Ukraine
- Current Location
- Ukraine
I made up the following.
John had been a wreck who couldn't live another day without drinking. Whenever I'd run into him, a bottle had been within arm's reach, his clothes carrying the stale scent of whiskey and neglect. He had borrowed money from friends, relatives, and strangers alike, but he had never repaid any of it. He had alienated nearly everyone who had tried to help him. His health had deteriorated, his confidence had vanished, and whatever ambitions he had once possessed had seemed to disappear beneath years of self-destruction. Now all of that was no longer the case: in front of me stood a man wearing an expensive suit. He had a lot of power and a lot of money. For a moment, I wondered if I had mistaken him for someone else. He caught me staring and smiled. The smile was familiar, but everything else seemed different. His posture was straight, his movements deliberate, and there was a confidence about him that the old John had never possessed.
The past perfect can be used in past-tense narratives to give background and context to the main event. In this example, the red part gives background and context to the blue part.
Is the past perfect in the red part used correctly or is it overused?
John had been a wreck who couldn't live another day without drinking. Whenever I'd run into him, a bottle had been within arm's reach, his clothes carrying the stale scent of whiskey and neglect. He had borrowed money from friends, relatives, and strangers alike, but he had never repaid any of it. He had alienated nearly everyone who had tried to help him. His health had deteriorated, his confidence had vanished, and whatever ambitions he had once possessed had seemed to disappear beneath years of self-destruction. Now all of that was no longer the case: in front of me stood a man wearing an expensive suit. He had a lot of power and a lot of money. For a moment, I wondered if I had mistaken him for someone else. He caught me staring and smiled. The smile was familiar, but everything else seemed different. His posture was straight, his movements deliberate, and there was a confidence about him that the old John had never possessed.
The past perfect can be used in past-tense narratives to give background and context to the main event. In this example, the red part gives background and context to the blue part.
Is the past perfect in the red part used correctly or is it overused?
