were vs had been

[ostap77]

"There had been quite a few playwrights during the 80s, who manged to reach an audience"

Is it possible to use "had been" here?

 

[Munch]

"There had been quite a few playwrights during the 80s, who manged to reach an audience"

Is it possible to use "had been" here?

Yes, as long as you are talking about a point in the past between now and the 80s.

For example, "There had been quite a few playwrights during the 80s, who manged to reach an audience. In the 90s however this all changed."

 

[ostap77]

Yes, as long as you are talking about a point in the past between now and the 80s.

For example, "There had been quite a few playwrights during the 80s, who manged to reach an audience. In the 90s however this all changed."

Having used "had been" I kind of accentuated the importance. Am I right?

 

[Munch]

Having used "had been" I kind of accentuated the importance. Am I right?

Not to my ears. I think the difference is this:

"There were quite a few playwrights during the 80s who manged to reach an audience"

Here you are just talking about something that happened in the 80s, looking back from the present (now) or from no particular point in time.

"There had been quite a few playwrights during the 80s, who manged to reach an audience"

Here are talking about something that happened in the 80s, looking back from another point in the past (between now and the 80s.) Don't use this form if you just want to talk about what happened in the 80s.

 

[ostap77]

Not to my ears. I think the difference is this:

"There were quite a few playwrights during the 80s who manged to reach an audience"

Here you are just talking about something that happened in the 80s, looking back from the present (now) or from no particular point in time.

"There had been quite a few playwrights during the 80s, who manged to reach an audience"

Here are talking about something that happened in the 80s, looking back from another point in the past (between now and the 80s.) Don't use this form if you just want to talk about what happened in the 80s.

Can I use it to write a composition? I will look back from another point in the pas (when I wrote a compositin) ?

 

[Munch]

Can I use it to write a composition? I will look back from another point in the pas (when I wrote a compositin) ?

Maybe. If you let me read the sentence in context I can help you further.

 

[ostap77]

Maybe. If you let me read the sentence in context I can help you further.

Thank you! I will.