Milana1
Member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2020
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Serbian
- Home Country
- Serbia
- Current Location
- Serbia
Hello.
Why is the verb "ride" in the sentence "They ___ (ride) across the wide Mississippi River before the ice broke, and crossed many other rivers and creeks." in past simple?
I thought that it would have to be in past perfect since it happened before another action in the past (before the ice broke).
In case the context is important here's the whole exercise. It's the last sentence in it.
A long time ago, Pa and Ma and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie left their little house in Wisconsin. They ___ (drive away) and left it lonely and empty among the big trees, and they never saw that little house again. They ___ (go) to Indian country.
Pa said there were too many people in Wisconsin now. Wild animals ___ (not stay) in a country where there were so many people, so Pa didn't want to stay. He liked a country where the animals ___ (live) without fear. He liked to see them ___ (look) at him in the forest and ___ (eat) fruit from the trees.
In the long winter evenings Pa talked to Ma about the Western country. "Let's go see the West," he said. "The land is flat and the grass ___ (grow) thick and high. Animals run freely and there are no settlers. Only Indians live there.
"Oh, Charles, must we go now?" Ma said. "The weather's so cold and our warm house is so comfortable."
"If we ___ (go) this year, we must go now," said Pa. "We can't cross the Mississippi River after the ice ___ (break)."
So Pa sold the little house in Wisconsin. With Ma's help, he made a canvas cover for their wagon. They put everything into the wagon except their beds and tables and chairs. Pa could make new ones out West. The next morning when it was still dark, Ma gently ___ (shake) Mary and Laura until they got up. By the light of the fire she helped them dress warmly. Pa put his gun inside the wagon where he could reach it quickly. He put his fiddle between two blankets in order to keep it safe. Their dog Jack went under the wagon and they drove away.
It was a long, long way to Indian country. Almost every day the horses ___ (travel) as far as they could; almost every night Pa and Ma stopped in a new place. They ___ (ride) across the wide Mississippi River before the ice broke, and crossed many other rivers and creeks.
Thank you in advance.
Why is the verb "ride" in the sentence "They ___ (ride) across the wide Mississippi River before the ice broke, and crossed many other rivers and creeks." in past simple?
I thought that it would have to be in past perfect since it happened before another action in the past (before the ice broke).
In case the context is important here's the whole exercise. It's the last sentence in it.
A long time ago, Pa and Ma and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie left their little house in Wisconsin. They ___ (drive away) and left it lonely and empty among the big trees, and they never saw that little house again. They ___ (go) to Indian country.
Pa said there were too many people in Wisconsin now. Wild animals ___ (not stay) in a country where there were so many people, so Pa didn't want to stay. He liked a country where the animals ___ (live) without fear. He liked to see them ___ (look) at him in the forest and ___ (eat) fruit from the trees.
In the long winter evenings Pa talked to Ma about the Western country. "Let's go see the West," he said. "The land is flat and the grass ___ (grow) thick and high. Animals run freely and there are no settlers. Only Indians live there.
"Oh, Charles, must we go now?" Ma said. "The weather's so cold and our warm house is so comfortable."
"If we ___ (go) this year, we must go now," said Pa. "We can't cross the Mississippi River after the ice ___ (break)."
So Pa sold the little house in Wisconsin. With Ma's help, he made a canvas cover for their wagon. They put everything into the wagon except their beds and tables and chairs. Pa could make new ones out West. The next morning when it was still dark, Ma gently ___ (shake) Mary and Laura until they got up. By the light of the fire she helped them dress warmly. Pa put his gun inside the wagon where he could reach it quickly. He put his fiddle between two blankets in order to keep it safe. Their dog Jack went under the wagon and they drove away.
It was a long, long way to Indian country. Almost every day the horses ___ (travel) as far as they could; almost every night Pa and Ma stopped in a new place. They ___ (ride) across the wide Mississippi River before the ice broke, and crossed many other rivers and creeks.
Thank you in advance.
