English grammar
Forget or leave? The past perfect for what had gone wrong
Explain what went wrong in a match, with the past perfect and forget or leave.
From the scene Victory slipped through our fingers
In short
Explain a bad result with had + past participle for what went wrong before. With a place, say leave, not forget.
Your turn
Which one goes with with a place: leave?
Options: I'd left the market shirt at home · our best player had broken a finger · you forgot which team you were on
Show answer
with a place: leave → I'd left the market shirt at home
How it works
To explain a bad result, use the past perfect for the problems that came before it: our best player had broken a finger.
Good to know
Forget doesn't normally take a place after it. With a place, use leave: I'd left the shirt at home (not forgotten it at home).
Good to know
Without a place, forget is fine: you forgot which team you were on.
a problem before the match our best player had broken a finger
Tomás
And our best player had broken a finger.
Y a nuestro mejor jugador se le había roto un dedo.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
And (blank).
Options: you forgot which team you were on · our best player had broken a finger · I'd left the market shirt at home
Show answer
Tomás
And our best player had broken a finger.
Y a nuestro mejor jugador se le había roto un dedo.
with a place: leave I'd left the market shirt at home
Tomás
And I'd left the market shirt at home.
Y me había dejado en casa la camiseta del mercado.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
And (blank).
Options: You forgot which team you were on · I'd left the market shirt at home · Our best player had broken a finger
Show answer
Tomás
And I'd left the market shirt at home.
Y me había dejado en casa la camiseta del mercado.
no place: forget you forgot which team you were on
Ramón
In that shirt, you forgot which team you were on.
Con esa camiseta, a ti se te olvidó en qué equipo jugabas.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
In that shirt, (blank).
Options: our best player had broken a finger · I'd left the market shirt at home · you forgot which team you were on
Show answer
Ramón
In that shirt, you forgot which team you were on.
Con esa camiseta, a ti se te olvidó en qué equipo jugabas.
an accident before that moment I'd dropped my whistle
Ramón
Well, I'd dropped my whistle in the fountain.
Es que se me había caído el silbato en la fuente.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Well, (blank) in the fountain.
Options: I'd left the market shirt at home · I'd dropped my whistle · Our best player had broken a finger
Show answer
Ramón
Well, I'd dropped my whistle in the fountain.
Es que se me había caído el silbato en la fuente.
we nearly won (idiom) victory slipped through our fingers
Tomás
We lost three-two. Victory slipped through our fingers.
Perdimos tres a dos. Se nos escapó la victoria.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
We lost three-two. (blank).
Options: Victory slipped through our fingers · Our best player had broken a finger · I'd left the market shirt at home
Show answer
Tomás
We lost three-two. Victory slipped through our fingers.
Perdimos tres a dos. Se nos escapó la victoria.
Common mistake
Not forgotten or forgot here. There's a place: at home.
And I'd left the market shirt at home.
Y me había dejado en casa la camiseta del mercado.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| a problem before the match | our best player had broken a finger |
|---|---|
| with a place: leave | I'd left the market shirt at home |
| no place: forget | you forgot which team you were on |
| an accident before that moment | I'd dropped my whistle |
| we nearly won (idiom) | victory slipped through our fingers |
More lines from the story
- RamónYes, brilliant... but you scored it in your own net!Sí, brillante... ¡pero lo marcaste en vuestra portería!