Need help on the following synthesis question:
My mother scolded me. My father scolded me too.
Answer 1: Not only did my mother scold me, but my father also scolded me.
Answer 2: Not only had my mother scolded me, but my father also scolded me.
The answer key given is Answer 2. Why is answer 1 incorrect?
Thanks.
sandyang
I think it’s because both mother and father already scolded the person. It is already in past tense. So when the person is telling what happened, they have to phrase it in past tense too. Because Answer 2 is phrased in past tense, it makes sense.
A question is very good! Answer 2 makes sense because it is written in the past tense.
ChiefKiasu
Hmm… this is a tough question, actually.
“Had” is used to make clear that one event happened before another. It is the past perfect tense.
Answer 2 is “more” correct as it shows that the mother scolded the person before his father did.
But I think either answer is generally acceptable by today’s standards.
MarsinMarch
Actually, I think answer 1 is correct
