Monday, May 23, 2005, 21:28 GMT
<<He fell asleep when I had given my speech.>> shows that the man fell asleep as soon as the person had given the speech. <<He fell asleep when I gave my speech.>> doesn't make it clear (to me) if the man fell asleep while the speech was being given or after the speech was given.
I'd rather use 'after' in place of 'when' - especially if he fell asleep after the speech was given.
<<He worked until it had rained.>> seems grammatically incorrect and/or unclear. To say, "He worked until it rained" makes it clear what the person was doing up to the time it began to rain. The word 'until' is both a conjunction and a preposition.
http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blgr_adverbclauses_time.htm
Until, till We waited until he finished his homework.
I'll wait till you finish.
'Until' and 'till' express 'up to that time'. We use either the simple present or simple past with 'until' and 'till'. 'Till' is usually only used in spoken English.
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastperfect.html
FORM Past Perfect
[HAD] + [PAST PARTICIPLE]
Examples:
I had studied a little English when I came to the U.S.
They had never met an American until they met John.
NOTE: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Past Perfect (had met), adverbs often come between the first part and the second part (had never met).
I'd rather use 'after' in place of 'when' - especially if he fell asleep after the speech was given.
<<He worked until it had rained.>> seems grammatically incorrect and/or unclear. To say, "He worked until it rained" makes it clear what the person was doing up to the time it began to rain. The word 'until' is both a conjunction and a preposition.
http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blgr_adverbclauses_time.htm
Until, till We waited until he finished his homework.
I'll wait till you finish.
'Until' and 'till' express 'up to that time'. We use either the simple present or simple past with 'until' and 'till'. 'Till' is usually only used in spoken English.
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastperfect.html
FORM Past Perfect
[HAD] + [PAST PARTICIPLE]
Examples:
I had studied a little English when I came to the U.S.
They had never met an American until they met John.
NOTE: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Past Perfect (had met), adverbs often come between the first part and the second part (had never met).