has made or had made

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hello everyone :slight_smile:

I have an English exam tomorrow :slight_smile: and I really need someone to answer the following question and explain the answer to me :slight_smile:

Ahmed had a very busy morning. By the time he stopped for lunch, he… 17 phone calls.

a) had made
b) has made
c) made
d) had been making

My teacher insists the answer should be b) has made, while I am utterly convinced that it should be a) had made. Can someone please settle this once and for all :slight_smile:

Thanks in advance.

2

As far as I know ,you’re right because these are two actions

You can say

Ahmed made 17 phone calls then he stopped for lunch.

so It would be had made

But :- This morning Ahmed has made 7 phone calls .

Because there is not two actions here.

3

Hi Basmamostafa,

You are right. Your teacher is wrong.

"By the time he stopped for lunch, he had made 17 phone calls.

The past tense ‘had’ is required because as he has had lunch already it must be afternoon or later now.

He stopped - he had.

I think your teacher must be thinking of this:
He stops - he has.
“By the time he stops for lunch he has made…”