Of the 18 who showed this pattern for the second set ...
( ) John is upset because his application was turned down.
( x ) John is upset because his application has been turned down.
( ) John was upset because his application was turned down.
( x ) John was upset because his application had been turned down.
16 showed this pattern for the first set:
( ) They are amazed. They never heard of this song.
( x ) They are amazed. They have never heard of this song.
( ) They were amazed. They never heard of this song.
( x ) They were amazed. They had never heard of this song.
I really, really, really would like to have all of you send me an answer to this option, regardless of whether you answered the original quiz:
( ) The past perfect is the past of the present perfect.
( ) The past perfect is not the past of the present perfect.
Herb Stahlke argues that the results of my little quiz were not representative enough to draw any conclusions (40 people responded). He did not answer it himself because he did not have enough information, a favorite, recurring theme. He needs "more context", always "more context", but I gave you all I had.
I reminded him of the words of a wise Persian philosopher who opined, circa 837 b.c., "All you can do is all you can do."
I did all I can do. I can't make you answer.
But I sure wish you would.
Please, please, please resist the temptation for editorial comment. Just check one or the other and send it to me, not to the listserv, s.v.p., as that tends to warp whatever usefulness this exercise has.
.cheers.brad.02mar08.
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