Hi - I started preparing for the GMAT SC about a day ago after the MGMAT SC Guide came in the mail. For those who are unfamiliar, MGMAT goes through a topic and then gives you practice questions at the end of each chapter. I am very confused by one of the past perfect questions at the end of Chapter 3.... please help!!
The question goes:
They never met an Australian before they met Crocodile Dundee.
(MGMAT doesn't underline anything, they are just testing the concepts from the chapter)
They say the answer is:
They had never met an Australian before they met Crocodile Dundee.
This is what confuses me... in the chapter they state that one of the exceptions to the rules of past perfect is:
2) Clauses linked by before or after. These conjunctions indicate the time sequence very clearly, so you do not generally need to use the past perfect tense.
So wouldn't the aforementioned answer fit that description of an exception? Why then is the past perfect used? I'm totally lost; please help!
Thanks,
CincyGmatCat
The question goes:
They never met an Australian before they met Crocodile Dundee.
(MGMAT doesn't underline anything, they are just testing the concepts from the chapter)
They say the answer is:
They had never met an Australian before they met Crocodile Dundee.
This is what confuses me... in the chapter they state that one of the exceptions to the rules of past perfect is:
2) Clauses linked by before or after. These conjunctions indicate the time sequence very clearly, so you do not generally need to use the past perfect tense.
So wouldn't the aforementioned answer fit that description of an exception? Why then is the past perfect used? I'm totally lost; please help!
Thanks,
CincyGmatCat
