Wednesday, July 3, 2019

prepositions - Which is the correct tense to use with 'by'?



I gave him the money by 6 PM.
I had given him the money by 6 PM.




I can't spot the difference between them and both seem right, but I was told the first one is wrong. Can anyone say, why?


Here is a another set of sentences with the same issue:



By 5 PM I gave him the book.
By 5 PM I had given him the book.



In both the sentences the book was given before 5 PM and no later than 5 PM. But I can't understand then what the difference between them is.


Is it right to use simple past with 'by' at all? If yes, then why and if not, then why is it incorrect to use simple past with 'by'?




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