had seen or saw ?

Question

In the question

When I met Liza yesterday, it was the first time I _____ her since Christmas.
a. saw
b. had seen
c. have seen
d. have been seen

I am confused between option A and B. I believe that since the second part of the sentence describes a simple action, I should use saw . Please help me with this.

RohitNayak · Answer

please help me out with the explanation.

daagh · Answer

You are using the term 'when'; that means your time of meeting Liza and your thinking that it was the first time are both simultaneous. Therefore, why will you use a past perfect for one event alone? 'Had seen' is wrong.

anah · Answer

When I met Liza yesterday, it was the first time I _____ her since Christmas.

a. saw 
b. had seen 
c. have seen 
d. have been seen

which is the correct answer C or D? i am confused between my two answer. 
please explain it for me. thank you

anah · Answer

have been seen is the correct answer?

Posted from my mobile device

anah · Answer

Post 22 Nov 2017, 00:29
In the question

When I met Liza yesterday, it was the first time I _____ her since Christmas.
a. saw
b. had seen
c. have seen
d. have been seen

I am confused to my answer. i need a clear explaination in each option then till me the correct answer and why. explain it thank you

chetan2u · Answer

here A is correct..
When I met Liza yesterday, it was the first time I  saw  her since Christmas. 
there is clarity in the sequence of action.. yesterday and since Christmas..

now when can other be correct:-

it was the first time I  had seen  her since Christmas.
it is the first time I  have seen  her since Christmas.

anah · Answer

thank you very much sir, i really don't understand why. in my book reviewer the answer is D. have been seen. but there is no explaination why.

Posted from my mobile device

chetan2u · Answer

Under NO circumstances can D be correct..
HAVE BEEN is present continuous and talks of something continuing in very basic term..

I have been walking from last 2 hours ..

They have been seen walking together.

anah · Answer

thank you sir. so it means the correct answer is A not D

anah · Answer

if the Answer is A. can you give me a clear explaination. 
and give me the reason why the other option is wrong. and i will share it to my friends thank you.

sananoor · Answer

Sometimes the sequence of actions is clear for example I parked the car and went to grocery store. Obviously one first park and then went to store. I cant say i went to store and parked the car Similarly, here it is clear that you met liza yesterday and then you realized that it was your first time you saw her since Christmas. So *saw* is right here when to use *had*? the past perfect is used when there are two events and you have to show that one action happened first than the other. The company had suffered consecutive quarterly losses until it hired me. (

) yeah the act of suffering was before the company hired me. I have been playing this game since morning. (the action in this sentence is continuous since morning; it started in morning and i am still playing)

anah · Answer

thank you maam for your very clear explanation

Posted from my mobile device

had seen or saw ?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards