Using Past-Perfect interchangeably with the Past Continuous












2















I've seen this sentence in another post here:





  1. Tom Cruise was thinking of a career in the church before finding a job in the movies.




Would it be fine to use the Past-Perfect as well? If so, which tense is better?



Here are a few options that came to my mind:





  1. Tom Cruise had been thinking of a career in the church before finding a job in the movies.
    or

  2. Tom Cruise had been thinking of a career in the church before he found a job in the movies.

  3. Tom Cruise had thought of a career in the church before he found a job in the movies.











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    2















    I've seen this sentence in another post here:





    1. Tom Cruise was thinking of a career in the church before finding a job in the movies.




    Would it be fine to use the Past-Perfect as well? If so, which tense is better?



    Here are a few options that came to my mind:





    1. Tom Cruise had been thinking of a career in the church before finding a job in the movies.
      or

    2. Tom Cruise had been thinking of a career in the church before he found a job in the movies.

    3. Tom Cruise had thought of a career in the church before he found a job in the movies.











    share|improve this question



























      2












      2








      2








      I've seen this sentence in another post here:





      1. Tom Cruise was thinking of a career in the church before finding a job in the movies.




      Would it be fine to use the Past-Perfect as well? If so, which tense is better?



      Here are a few options that came to my mind:





      1. Tom Cruise had been thinking of a career in the church before finding a job in the movies.
        or

      2. Tom Cruise had been thinking of a career in the church before he found a job in the movies.

      3. Tom Cruise had thought of a career in the church before he found a job in the movies.











      share|improve this question
















      I've seen this sentence in another post here:





      1. Tom Cruise was thinking of a career in the church before finding a job in the movies.




      Would it be fine to use the Past-Perfect as well? If so, which tense is better?



      Here are a few options that came to my mind:





      1. Tom Cruise had been thinking of a career in the church before finding a job in the movies.
        or

      2. Tom Cruise had been thinking of a career in the church before he found a job in the movies.

      3. Tom Cruise had thought of a career in the church before he found a job in the movies.








      past-perfect past-perfect-continuous






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      edited 1 hour ago







      SunnySideDown

















      asked 1 hour ago









      SunnySideDownSunnySideDown

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          All three of these sentences are grammatical as well. The past perfect tense is no better than the simple past tense in this situation; they're equally good. The word before tells you that the thinking happened, and then the finding happened afterwards.






          share|improve this answer































            2














            All of these are perfectly acceptable. The forms using "had been thinking" suggest a process of thought which extended over some time, but ended, either when the job was found, or before that. The for with "had thought" suggests a single instance of thought that occurred before the job was found.



            But many native speakers will not make these fine distinctions, and may use any of the four forms in the question interchangeably, with no difference of meaning.






            share|improve this answer








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              2 Answers
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              2 Answers
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              active

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              active

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              2














              All three of these sentences are grammatical as well. The past perfect tense is no better than the simple past tense in this situation; they're equally good. The word before tells you that the thinking happened, and then the finding happened afterwards.






              share|improve this answer




























                2














                All three of these sentences are grammatical as well. The past perfect tense is no better than the simple past tense in this situation; they're equally good. The word before tells you that the thinking happened, and then the finding happened afterwards.






                share|improve this answer


























                  2












                  2








                  2







                  All three of these sentences are grammatical as well. The past perfect tense is no better than the simple past tense in this situation; they're equally good. The word before tells you that the thinking happened, and then the finding happened afterwards.






                  share|improve this answer













                  All three of these sentences are grammatical as well. The past perfect tense is no better than the simple past tense in this situation; they're equally good. The word before tells you that the thinking happened, and then the finding happened afterwards.







                  share|improve this answer












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                  answered 1 hour ago









                  MixolydianMixolydian

                  3,098511




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                      All of these are perfectly acceptable. The forms using "had been thinking" suggest a process of thought which extended over some time, but ended, either when the job was found, or before that. The for with "had thought" suggests a single instance of thought that occurred before the job was found.



                      But many native speakers will not make these fine distinctions, and may use any of the four forms in the question interchangeably, with no difference of meaning.






                      share|improve this answer








                      New contributor




                      David Siegel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                      Check out our Code of Conduct.

























                        2














                        All of these are perfectly acceptable. The forms using "had been thinking" suggest a process of thought which extended over some time, but ended, either when the job was found, or before that. The for with "had thought" suggests a single instance of thought that occurred before the job was found.



                        But many native speakers will not make these fine distinctions, and may use any of the four forms in the question interchangeably, with no difference of meaning.






                        share|improve this answer








                        New contributor




                        David Siegel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                        Check out our Code of Conduct.























                          2












                          2








                          2







                          All of these are perfectly acceptable. The forms using "had been thinking" suggest a process of thought which extended over some time, but ended, either when the job was found, or before that. The for with "had thought" suggests a single instance of thought that occurred before the job was found.



                          But many native speakers will not make these fine distinctions, and may use any of the four forms in the question interchangeably, with no difference of meaning.






                          share|improve this answer








                          New contributor




                          David Siegel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.










                          All of these are perfectly acceptable. The forms using "had been thinking" suggest a process of thought which extended over some time, but ended, either when the job was found, or before that. The for with "had thought" suggests a single instance of thought that occurred before the job was found.



                          But many native speakers will not make these fine distinctions, and may use any of the four forms in the question interchangeably, with no difference of meaning.







                          share|improve this answer








                          New contributor




                          David Siegel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.









                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer






                          New contributor




                          David Siegel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.









                          answered 1 hour ago









                          David SiegelDavid Siegel

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                          3766




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                          David Siegel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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