Difference Had been Twins and Were Twins
What is the meaning of below sentence ?
a) I asked if he and my father had been twins.
Does it mean
b) I asked if he and my father were twins.
If Yes , then when to use a) and when b) ?
sentence-construction sentence-meaning
asked 1 hour ago
user4084
484165499
add a comment |
What is the meaning of below sentence ?
a) I asked if he and my father had been twins.
Does it mean
b) I asked if he and my father were twins.
If Yes , then when to use a) and when b) ?
sentence-construction sentence-meaning
asked 1 hour ago
user4084
484165499
The past perfect is hardly ever compulsory. Most times it is a stylistic choice, that sets the temporal viewpoint at a time in the past later than the events being referred to. If that viewpoint is already set, or is irrelevant, the simple past will do just as well.
– Colin Fine
29 mins ago
add a comment |
What is the meaning of below sentence ?
a) I asked if he and my father had been twins.
Does it mean
b) I asked if he and my father were twins.
If Yes , then when to use a) and when b) ?
sentence-construction sentence-meaning
asked 1 hour ago
user4084
484165499
What is the meaning of below sentence ?
a) I asked if he and my father had been twins.
Does it mean
b) I asked if he and my father were twins.
If Yes , then when to use a) and when b) ?
sentence-construction sentence-meaning
sentence-construction sentence-meaning
asked 1 hour ago
user4084
484165499
asked 1 hour ago
user4084
484165499
asked 1 hour ago
user4084
484165499
asked 1 hour ago
user4084
484165499
asked 1 hour ago
user4084
484165499
484165499
The past perfect is hardly ever compulsory. Most times it is a stylistic choice, that sets the temporal viewpoint at a time in the past later than the events being referred to. If that viewpoint is already set, or is irrelevant, the simple past will do just as well.
– Colin Fine
29 mins ago
add a comment |
The past perfect is hardly ever compulsory. Most times it is a stylistic choice, that sets the temporal viewpoint at a time in the past later than the events being referred to. If that viewpoint is already set, or is irrelevant, the simple past will do just as well.
– Colin Fine
29 mins ago
The past perfect is hardly ever compulsory. Most times it is a stylistic choice, that sets the temporal viewpoint at a time in the past later than the events being referred to. If that viewpoint is already set, or is irrelevant, the simple past will do just as well.
– Colin Fine
29 mins ago
The past perfect is hardly ever compulsory. Most times it is a stylistic choice, that sets the temporal viewpoint at a time in the past later than the events being referred to. If that viewpoint is already set, or is irrelevant, the simple past will do just as well.
– Colin Fine
29 mins ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
a) I asked if he and my father had been twins.
= I asked, "Were he and my father twins?"
b) I asked if he and my father were twins.
= I asked, "Are he and my father twins?"
Therefore,
If he and/or your father has passed away/ died, use (a).
Else, use (b).
answered 1 hour ago
Omega Krypton
17016
1
Note for ELLers: "passed away" means "died".
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
thanks, edited! @MichaelHarvey, was afraid of it being in any sense offensive, nvm, thanks!
– Omega Krypton
1 hour ago
1
Death comes to us all.
– Michael Harvey
57 mins ago
True, but we'd better stop here since this is kinda off-topic. thanks anyway!
– Omega Krypton
56 mins ago
It is a matter of usage, and therefore on-topic, in a wider sense, surely?
– Michael Harvey
54 mins ago
add a comment |
If he and your father "had been" twins, then they are no longer, and the only way that can be is if either is, or both are, dead. The past progressive tense is used about an action or situation that was completed at some point in the past. It seems an unlikely situation - you have to ask if your father has (or had) a twin?
answered 55 mins ago
Michael Harvey
12.1k11228
add a comment |
I think that the topic is ambiguous. Suppose that "he" were twins with George, and "my father" were twins with Tom. You could answer "they both were twins." But the sentence doesn't have additional context asking if "he" and "my father" were the context of "twins".
Suppose that "he" and "my father" were part of triplets, and that brother is now dead. The person being asked should answer "no" to the twins discussion, right?
answered 28 mins ago
Jerome P Mrozak
101
New contributor
Jerome P Mrozak is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
a) I asked if he and my father had been twins.
= I asked, "Were he and my father twins?"
b) I asked if he and my father were twins.
= I asked, "Are he and my father twins?"
Therefore,
If he and/or your father has passed away/ died, use (a).
Else, use (b).
answered 1 hour ago
Omega Krypton
17016
1
Note for ELLers: "passed away" means "died".
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
thanks, edited! @MichaelHarvey, was afraid of it being in any sense offensive, nvm, thanks!
– Omega Krypton
1 hour ago
1
Death comes to us all.
– Michael Harvey
57 mins ago
True, but we'd better stop here since this is kinda off-topic. thanks anyway!
– Omega Krypton
56 mins ago
It is a matter of usage, and therefore on-topic, in a wider sense, surely?
– Michael Harvey
54 mins ago
add a comment |
a) I asked if he and my father had been twins.
= I asked, "Were he and my father twins?"
b) I asked if he and my father were twins.
= I asked, "Are he and my father twins?"
Therefore,
If he and/or your father has passed away/ died, use (a).
Else, use (b).
answered 1 hour ago
Omega Krypton
17016
1
Note for ELLers: "passed away" means "died".
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
thanks, edited! @MichaelHarvey, was afraid of it being in any sense offensive, nvm, thanks!
– Omega Krypton
1 hour ago
1
Death comes to us all.
– Michael Harvey
57 mins ago
True, but we'd better stop here since this is kinda off-topic. thanks anyway!
– Omega Krypton
56 mins ago
It is a matter of usage, and therefore on-topic, in a wider sense, surely?
– Michael Harvey
54 mins ago
add a comment |
a) I asked if he and my father had been twins.
= I asked, "Were he and my father twins?"
b) I asked if he and my father were twins.
= I asked, "Are he and my father twins?"
Therefore,
If he and/or your father has passed away/ died, use (a).
Else, use (b).
answered 1 hour ago
Omega Krypton
17016
a) I asked if he and my father had been twins.
= I asked, "Were he and my father twins?"
b) I asked if he and my father were twins.
= I asked, "Are he and my father twins?"
Therefore,
If he and/or your father has passed away/ died, use (a).
Else, use (b).
answered 1 hour ago
Omega Krypton
17016
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
Omega Krypton
17016
answered 1 hour ago
Omega Krypton
17016
answered 1 hour ago
Omega Krypton
17016
17016
1
Note for ELLers: "passed away" means "died".
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
thanks, edited! @MichaelHarvey, was afraid of it being in any sense offensive, nvm, thanks!
– Omega Krypton
1 hour ago
1
Death comes to us all.
– Michael Harvey
57 mins ago
True, but we'd better stop here since this is kinda off-topic. thanks anyway!
– Omega Krypton
56 mins ago
It is a matter of usage, and therefore on-topic, in a wider sense, surely?
– Michael Harvey
54 mins ago
add a comment |
1
Note for ELLers: "passed away" means "died".
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
thanks, edited! @MichaelHarvey, was afraid of it being in any sense offensive, nvm, thanks!
– Omega Krypton
1 hour ago
1
Death comes to us all.
– Michael Harvey
57 mins ago
True, but we'd better stop here since this is kinda off-topic. thanks anyway!
– Omega Krypton
56 mins ago
It is a matter of usage, and therefore on-topic, in a wider sense, surely?
– Michael Harvey
54 mins ago
1
1
Note for ELLers: "passed away" means "died".
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
Note for ELLers: "passed away" means "died".
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
thanks, edited! @MichaelHarvey, was afraid of it being in any sense offensive, nvm, thanks!
– Omega Krypton
1 hour ago
thanks, edited! @MichaelHarvey, was afraid of it being in any sense offensive, nvm, thanks!
– Omega Krypton
1 hour ago
1
1
Death comes to us all.
– Michael Harvey
57 mins ago
Death comes to us all.
– Michael Harvey
57 mins ago
True, but we'd better stop here since this is kinda off-topic. thanks anyway!
– Omega Krypton
56 mins ago
True, but we'd better stop here since this is kinda off-topic. thanks anyway!
– Omega Krypton
56 mins ago
It is a matter of usage, and therefore on-topic, in a wider sense, surely?
– Michael Harvey
54 mins ago
It is a matter of usage, and therefore on-topic, in a wider sense, surely?
– Michael Harvey
54 mins ago
add a comment |
If he and your father "had been" twins, then they are no longer, and the only way that can be is if either is, or both are, dead. The past progressive tense is used about an action or situation that was completed at some point in the past. It seems an unlikely situation - you have to ask if your father has (or had) a twin?
answered 55 mins ago
Michael Harvey
12.1k11228
add a comment |
If he and your father "had been" twins, then they are no longer, and the only way that can be is if either is, or both are, dead. The past progressive tense is used about an action or situation that was completed at some point in the past. It seems an unlikely situation - you have to ask if your father has (or had) a twin?
answered 55 mins ago
Michael Harvey
12.1k11228
add a comment |
If he and your father "had been" twins, then they are no longer, and the only way that can be is if either is, or both are, dead. The past progressive tense is used about an action or situation that was completed at some point in the past. It seems an unlikely situation - you have to ask if your father has (or had) a twin?
answered 55 mins ago
Michael Harvey
12.1k11228
If he and your father "had been" twins, then they are no longer, and the only way that can be is if either is, or both are, dead. The past progressive tense is used about an action or situation that was completed at some point in the past. It seems an unlikely situation - you have to ask if your father has (or had) a twin?
answered 55 mins ago
Michael Harvey
12.1k11228
answered 55 mins ago
Michael Harvey
12.1k11228
answered 55 mins ago
Michael Harvey
12.1k11228
answered 55 mins ago
Michael Harvey
12.1k11228
12.1k11228
add a comment |
add a comment |
I think that the topic is ambiguous. Suppose that "he" were twins with George, and "my father" were twins with Tom. You could answer "they both were twins." But the sentence doesn't have additional context asking if "he" and "my father" were the context of "twins".
Suppose that "he" and "my father" were part of triplets, and that brother is now dead. The person being asked should answer "no" to the twins discussion, right?
answered 28 mins ago
Jerome P Mrozak
101
New contributor
Jerome P Mrozak is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I think that the topic is ambiguous. Suppose that "he" were twins with George, and "my father" were twins with Tom. You could answer "they both were twins." But the sentence doesn't have additional context asking if "he" and "my father" were the context of "twins".
Suppose that "he" and "my father" were part of triplets, and that brother is now dead. The person being asked should answer "no" to the twins discussion, right?
answered 28 mins ago
Jerome P Mrozak
101
New contributor
Jerome P Mrozak is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I think that the topic is ambiguous. Suppose that "he" were twins with George, and "my father" were twins with Tom. You could answer "they both were twins." But the sentence doesn't have additional context asking if "he" and "my father" were the context of "twins".
Suppose that "he" and "my father" were part of triplets, and that brother is now dead. The person being asked should answer "no" to the twins discussion, right?
answered 28 mins ago
Jerome P Mrozak
101
New contributor
Jerome P Mrozak is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I think that the topic is ambiguous. Suppose that "he" were twins with George, and "my father" were twins with Tom. You could answer "they both were twins." But the sentence doesn't have additional context asking if "he" and "my father" were the context of "twins".
Suppose that "he" and "my father" were part of triplets, and that brother is now dead. The person being asked should answer "no" to the twins discussion, right?
answered 28 mins ago
Jerome P Mrozak
101
New contributor
Jerome P Mrozak is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 28 mins ago
Jerome P Mrozak
101
New contributor
Jerome P Mrozak is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 28 mins ago
Jerome P Mrozak
101
answered 28 mins ago
Jerome P Mrozak
101
101
New contributor
Jerome P Mrozak is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Jerome P Mrozak is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Jerome P Mrozak is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
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The past perfect is hardly ever compulsory. Most times it is a stylistic choice, that sets the temporal viewpoint at a time in the past later than the events being referred to. If that viewpoint is already set, or is irrelevant, the simple past will do just as well.
– Colin Fine
29 mins ago