Past Perfect vs Past Simple

[Lady Liz]

Hi!

Here you have my most recent doubt:

"My sister had finished brushing her teeth before she went out with her friends."

Have the tenses been properly used in the sentence above, or should we change their order by starting with the simple past and using the past perfect afterwards?

Many thanks!

Liz

 

[bhaisahab]

Hi!

Here you have my most recent doubt:

"My sister had finished brushing her teeth before she went out with her friends."

Have the tenses been properly used in the sentence above, or should we change their order by starting with the simple past and using the past perfect afterwards?

Many thanks!

Liz

It would be more natural to say "My sister brushed her teeth before she went out with her friends".

 

[Lady Liz]

What if I say "He finished reading the novel before he had gone to the disco."? (This is an exercise from an English test!)

Thanks!!!

 

[bhaisahab]

What if I say "He finished reading the novel before he had gone to the disco."? (This is an exercise from an English test!)

Thanks!!!

That's not a natural sentence.

 

[Lady Liz]

That's not a natural sentence.

Can't understand why some teachers just turn things out difficult! Thank you, bhai!

 

[MikeNewYork]

What if I say "He finished reading the novel before he had gone to the disco."? (This is an exercise from an English test!)

Thanks!!!

If one wishes to use the past perfect in that sentence, one would say, "He had finished reading the novel before he went to the disco." The past perfect is used for the earlier action. However, because the adverb "before" indicates that timing of the events, the past perfect is not needed.

 

[mihallure]

If one wishes to use the past perfect in that sentence, one would say, "He had finished reading the novel before he went to the disco." The past perfect is used for the earlier action. However, because the adverb "before" indicates that timing of the events, the past perfect is not needed.

All the grammar books that I've read suggested that in the above pattern Past Perfect should be used in the earlier action (as you said) followed by "before" + Past Tense. Should I understand now that this is not natural and should be avoided even in writing?
Thank you.

 

[MikeNewYork]

All the grammar books that I've read suggested that in the above pattern Past Perfect should be used in the earlier action (as you said) followed by "before" + Past Tense. Should I understand now that this is not natural and should be avoided even in writing?
Thank you.

No, it is quite natural and is also correct. I am just saying that one can get away with the past tense in both uses because of the word "before". In an examination, I would use the past perfect.