prep SC:For at least two decades or more previous to when

[RannieW162]

For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was the most admired painter in Italy.
A. For at least two decades or more previous to when the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he was
B. For at least two decades before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, he had been
C. For at least two decades or more before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's dying in 1770, he had been
D. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, for at least two decades previously he was
E. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, having been for at least two decades before that
OA:B

Hi Ron/Stacey,

I'm a little confused with D. Is it wrong because the use of "when....", which indicates the exact time, but the main clause says sth about two decades ago. And I think this is contradictory, am I right?

Besides, "having been" in E,, I'm afraid of seeing "having been...", could you please explain more about the usage? Is it wrong to use “having been done" as subjects?

Thanks a lot ! :)

[RonPurewal]

I'm a little confused with D. Is it wrong because the use of "when....", which indicates the exact time, but the main clause says sth about two decades ago. And I think this is contradictory, am I right?

You're correct.

Besides, "having been" in E,, I'm afraid of seeing "having been...", could you please explain more about the usage? Is it wrong to use “having been done" as subjects?

Thanks a lot ! :)

"Having been ___" isn't really problematic there. The big problem with choice E is that it's not a sentence at all.

When I finally arrived at the theater, I walked into the show thirty minutes late. (legitimate sentence)

When I finally arrived at the theater, walking into the show thirty minutes late. (constructed like choice E; not a sentence)

[RonPurewal]

.

[thanghnvn]

Ron, pls, commen on the use of "dying" in choice C. I dislike this usage of "dying" but have no reason to eliminate t

[RonPurewal]

whether you "dislike" something is irrelevant.

the thing that's actually wrong with that choice is the redundancy (at least + or more).

[thanghnvn]

regarding "dying' in choice C

"dying" shows a process which is not suitable here.

"death" show a event whch is more suitable here.

pls comment on my thinking. thank you

[RonPurewal]

that's just a distraction; there is a black-and-white case of redundancy in that choice, so there's no need to think about such nuances.

[charmanineW924]

can someone explain the "previous to when" ? I think it looks strange . And I cannot understand Dand E

[RonPurewal]

can someone explain the "previous to when" ? I think it looks strange.

remember that this is a multiple-choice test.

this is all you have to do:
"previous to when" = clearly worse
"before" = clearly better

you should not waste any brainpower thinking about "previous to when" individually. the whole point of this aspect of the problem is that it's intended to be an easy comparison.

[RonPurewal]

And I cannot understand Dand E

well, those are wrong answers, so it's fine if you can't understand them.
(:

(if you are trying to ask a question here, this is not an acceptable way to do so. if you have questions, they need to be specific questions about specific aspects of the choices.)

[aflaamM589]

I'm a little confused with D. Is it wrong because the use of "when....", which indicates the exact time, but the main clause says sth about two decades ago. And I think this is contradictory, am I right?

You're correct.

Hello Ron,
Kindly confirm if i have got it correctly.

D.When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, for at least two decades previously he was

One is not allowed to change the time frame when when is used.
But in this choice, word previously shifts the time frame.
Same deal as in ,Verbing case, which implies simultaneous action.

Is my understanding correct?
Does when also implies simultaneous action?

Thanks,

[RonPurewal]

One is not allowed to change the time frame when when is used.
But in this choice, word previously shifts the time frame.

correct, that's a contradiction.

[aflaamM589]

and same is the case in E, right?
E. When the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in 1770, having been for at least two decades before that

Thanks in advance
Have a nice day

[RonPurewal]

choice E isn't even a sentence, so there's no point in dissecting such nuances about it.

[Crisc419]

The sentence is talking about something happened during a past timeframe (For two decades before the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died), why we are using past perfence tense here, not past tense?

could anyone explain ?

thanks in advance

Cris