Although early soap operas were first aired on evening radio in the 19

Hello talismaaniac,

I know it sounds a bit complicated that past perfect tense can only be used for the earlier related past event.

However, it is not that difficult to figure out if the events presents in a sentence are related or not.

While analyzing the events, we must figure out if the earlier past action has any bearing/effect on the latter past action, that is, if two actions are connected any which way. Following are some situations of related events:

i. Cause-and-Effect relations hip between the two events make them related.
ii. For the sake of clear sequencing to express the correct meaning, past perfect tense is used.


Let's begin with some simple examples here.

1. John learned last week that Eutopia, a little-known country, had gotten its independence in 1970.

Use of past-perfect tense had gotten in the above-mentioned sentence is incorrect because the two events are not related.

Eutopia got its independence in 1970. However, John got to know about this fact only last week. But event of his knowledge does not affect the fact when Eutopia got independence. That event took place in 1970 irrespective of John's knowledge.

Hence the correct version of sentence 1. is: John learned last week that Eutopia, a little-known country, got its independence in 1970..


2. Researchers found evidence that the Earth had undergone major changes in the last ice age.

Once again, use of past-perfect tense had undergone in the above-mentioned sentence is incorrect because the two events are not related.

No matter when the researchers found the evidence, the changes took place in the last age irrespective of researcher's knowledge. The changes did not depend upon the event of researchers finding the evidence.

So, the correct version of the sentence is: Researchers found evidence that the Earth underwent major changes in the last ice age.

Now let's evaluate those official sentences that use past perfect tense correctly.


1. Dressed as a man and using the name Robert Shurtleff, Deborah Sampson, the first woman to draw a soldier's pension, joined the Continental Army in 1782 at the age of 22, was injured three times, and was discharged in 1783 because she had become too ill to serve.

In the above-mentioned sentence, the two events in bold are related to each other because one event led to the other (cause-and-effect). Hence, use of past perfect tense is correct in this sentence.



2. Government officials announced that restrictions on the use of water would continue because no appreciable increase in the level of the river had resulted from the intermittent showers that had fallen throughout the area the day before.

Per the above-mentioned sentence, it is necessary to use past perfect tense had resulted to clarify the sequence of events. Use of past perfect tense had resulted makes it clear that the announcement took place only after the water level in the river had not increased to a satisfactory level.

Use of had fallen is related to the event had resulted because it is the intermittent showers because of which the water level did not increase.


So, all we need to do is just spend some time with the original sentence to understand the context and intended meaning of the sentence so that we ascertain if the events mentioned in the sentence are related in any way.


Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha