Proofread request

[Deepurple]

I would be much appreciate it if you could proofread the following sentences for me. Thanks a million.

"A design competition was organized in March 2006. Teachers and parents had helped/helped to select the winners from the entries"(Assistance had been provided before the final decision taken place some time ago.)

 

[RonBee]

Say:

Teachers and parents helped select the winners from the entries.​

Delete "to" in that sentence.

 

[RonBee]

Assistance had been provided before the final decision taken place some time ago.

Assistance was provided before the final decision was made some time ago.
​

Don't use the past perfect ("had helped") if the requirements for it do not exist (aren't there).


~R

 

[Deepurple]

Assistance was provided before the final decision was made some time ago.​

Don't use the past perfect ("had helped") if the requirements for it do not exist (aren't there).


~R

~R, maybe the sentence in parentheses is misleading.
What I want to say is that the action "helped to select..." occurred before the final decision was reached. To my understanding, "helped to select..." was an action taking place before the decision, so the former should use the past perfect while the latter the past. Am I right in this line of thinking?

 

[RonBee]

The sentence in parentheses raises more questions than it answers. Better to leave it out. Try:

A design competition was organized in March 2006. Teachers and parents helped select the winners from the entries.
​

Who did they help?