BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Past tense vs Past perfect

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 7:10 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 8 times
GMAT Score:690
by gmatjeet » Mon Jun 27, 2011 10:47 am
His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the concept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas

(A) in which great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas
(B) in which great ice sheets existed in what are now temperate areas
(C) when great ice sheets existed where there were areas now temperate
(D) when great ice sheets had existed in current temperate areas
(E) when great ice sheets existed in areas now that are temperate

OA : B

I have understood all parts of the question. There is only one doubt which i have with the explanation.

OG says the verb form should be SIMPLE PAST "EXISTED" rather than PAST PERFECT "HAD EXISTED". I am unable to understand this.

"led" Louis Agassiz - past tense
concept of an age in which great ice sheets "had existed" - past perfect

As per me the above correctly shows chronological sequence of events.

Can some expert please explain?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Legendary Member
Posts: 1574
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:52 amFollowed by: 13 members
Thanked: 88 times

by aspirant2011 » Mon Jun 27, 2011 11:38 am
I feel simple past tense is preferable to past perfect and moreover I feel though not sure that option A changes the intended meaning of the sentence by introducing had existed
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 544
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 8:10 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 45 times

by sameerballani » Mon Jun 27, 2011 7:46 pm
gmatjeet wrote:His studies of ice-polished rocks in his Alpine homeland, far outside the range of present-day glaciers, led Louis Agassiz in 1837 to propose the concept of an age in which great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas

(A) in which great ice sheets had existed in what are now temperate areas
(B) in which great ice sheets existed in what are now temperate areas
(C) when great ice sheets existed where there were areas now temperate
(D) when great ice sheets had existed in current temperate areas
(E) when great ice sheets existed in areas now that are temperate

OA : B

I have understood all parts of the question. There is only one doubt which i have with the explanation.

OG says the verb form should be SIMPLE PAST "EXISTED" rather than PAST PERFECT "HAD EXISTED". I am unable to understand this.

"led" Louis Agassiz - past tense
concept of an age in which great ice sheets "had existed" - past perfect

As per me the above correctly shows chronological sequence of events.

Can some expert please explain?


It should be be simple past reason being- led x to propose Y (Y is a general statement and simple past would be preferred)
we need to understand that tense should be same as for AGE IN WHICH, so if we use past perfect. ice sheets go earlier than this age.
I hope i make some sense
Thanks
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1