For at least two decades or more previous to when the Veneti

Question

For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was  the most admired painter in Italy.

A. For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was
B. For at least two decades before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he had been
C. For at least two decades or more before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's dying in 1770, he had been
D. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, for at least two decades previously he was
E. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, having been for at least two decades before that
 A. For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he  was 
B. For at least two decades before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo  died  in 1770, he  had been 
C. For at least two decades or more before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's  dying  in 1770, he had been
D. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770,  for at least two decades previously he was 
E. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770,  having  been for at least two decades before that

This is a clear case of Past Perfect: one action happend in the past for a long period of time ("he had been the most admired"), before another action ("died").
That's why B is correct.
We can find in the other choices verb-errors, awkward structures or grammatical errors.

ConnectTheDots · Answer

usage of at least + more is redundant: A, C out.
We are talking of two events in past - B clearly conveys the recent action "died" in simple past and older prolonged action "had been the most admired" in past continuous form.

D and E are very indirect, lengthy and unclear.

thangvietname · Answer

For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was  the most admired painter in Italy.

A. For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was
B. For at least two decades before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he had been
C. For at least two decades or more before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's dying in 1770, he had been
D. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, for at least two decades previously he was
E. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, having been for at least two decades before that
 A. For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he  was 
B. For at least two decades before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo  died  in 1770, he  had been 
C. For at least two decades or more before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's  dying  in 1770, he had been
D. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770,  for at least two decades previously he was 
E. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770,  having  been for at least two decades before that

had been in B is wrong.

had done to show an action previous to a past action when there is no specific time attached with had done
this mistake is make by many native and even by grammar books. I said this many times

thangvietname · Answer

For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was  the most admired painter in Italy.

A. For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was
B. For at least two decades before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he had been
C. For at least two decades or more before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's dying in 1770, he had been
D. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, for at least two decades previously he was
E. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, having been for at least two decades before that
 A. For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he  was 
B. For at least two decades before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo  died  in 1770, he  had been 
C. For at least two decades or more before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's  dying  in 1770, he had been
D. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770,  for at least two decades previously he was 
E. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770,  having  been for at least two decades before that

I also come to b but, have a problem
two decades before ... is a point of time so this phrase can not go with "for" which is used before a period. B have this problem

am I correct?

Skywalker18 · Answer

For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was  the most admired painter in Italy.

A. For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was -- at least two decades or more is redundant
B. For at least two decades before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he had been - Correct
C. For at least two decades or more before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's dying in 1770, he had been -- same as A
D. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, for at least two decades previously he was - awkward 
E. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, having been for at least two decades before that -- not even a sentence

"had __ed" refers to something earlier or completed. so, to refer to an EARLIER or DISCONTINUOUS interval, you'd use this tense.

consider:

• Ray had spent almost 20 years in prison before he died at the age of 90.
—> he could have served his sentence when he was much younger
—> he could have served 5 years at one time + 10 years at another time + 5 more years at another time
etc.

• Ray spent almost 20 years in prison before he died at the age of 90.
—> this means he spent his LAST twenty years incarcerated.

if you see a decision between PAST TENSE and "HAD ___ED"... make that decision ABSOLUTELY LAST.
if you can decide ANYTHING ELSE in the sentence, then ALWAYS make EVERY other possible decision before that one.

in fact, I'm not sure I can even recall seeing an official problem that actually REQUIRED a decision between "had ___ed" and the regular past tense.

Answer B

Annie28 · Answer

B for me.
First of all, A C out because usage of at least + more is redundant
D E are not clear in meaning

VerbalBot · Answer

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For at least two decades or more previous to when the Veneti

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