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Past perfect tense

English Language & Usage Asked on August 31, 2021

Consider the following question:
The doorbell woke me up. When the doorbell _______________, I _______________ up.

The possible answer for the above statement is:

  • rang, woke
  • had rung, woke
  • had rung, had woken
  • rang, had woken

According to me answer to the above question should be option (b), as first, the doorbell rang and because of this I woke up. So, using the past perfect, when the doorbell had rung, I woke up. But the correct answer is (a), rang and woke. How is it possible, as using the option (a), no time order of activity is preserved?

2 Answers

Solution 1

"WHEN" means a specific time(point in time), not a period of time.

The doorbell woke you up means You were sleeping when the doorbell rang and you woke up because the doorbell rang. It's a simultaneous action. okay?

Because the doorbell rang, you woke up. okay?

"the doorbell" is not "you" : the subject is different. So we can't omit "the doorbell". okay?

The verb "rang"s infinitive is ring and its present participle is "ringing". okay?

(Because) The/the doorbell ringing, you woke up. okay?

Solution 2

Again "WHEN" is a point in time, not a period of time.

"When the doorbell had rung, I woke up" means you woke up after the doorbell had rung.

It's not simultaneous but there is a time difference. We(in Korea) call this past perfect "Great Past", which shows the order of the event. okay?

"After the doorbell had rung, I woke up" means

(After) The/the doorbell having rung, I woke up.

Answered by Brandon on August 31, 2021

The first option is correct:

When the doorbell rang, I woke up.

Here’s how when is used:

  • interruptionHe was holding his newborn baby when you called. (“called” [“rang up”]—short duration)
  • same timeHe was holding his newborn baby when (or while) he was talking on the phone. (“was talking”—longer duration)
  • immediately after (in response)—When you called, he picked up his phone. (“called” and “picked up”—short duration)
  • anytime / wheneverWhen he has a question, he calls the doctor. (cause effect)...

Source: When vs. While

Your sentence displays the sense of “immediately after (in response)”.

The last option is somewhat possible if when is being used in the sense of by the time:

When the doorbell rang, I had [already] woken up.
By the time the doorbell rang, I had woken up.

Without already or by the time, though, the sentence does not sound natural.

Answered by Tinfoil Hat on August 31, 2021

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