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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Have been or had been

Should it be 'had been' or 'have been'?

I thought you might have been sick.
I thought you might had been sick.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

I thought you might have been sick is correct.

— Blue Jay

  • I thought you might have been sick is correct.
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11 Answers
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I thought you might have been sick is correct.
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Blue JayI thought you might have been sick is correct.
Thanks a lot. Is it because of the word 'might', which does not require the use of 'had'?

What if I eliminate 'might', as in:
I thought you have been sick.
I thought you had been sick.

Which one would be correct in this case?
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AnonymousIs it because of the word 'might', which does not require the use of 'had'?
No. "Might had been" is wrong, wrong, wrong. You just can't say it, ever.
AnonymousWhat if I eliminate 'might', as in:I thought you have been sick.I thought you had been sick.Which one would be correct in this case?
"I thought you had
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When you have two verbs together like that, the second one will be the infinitive (to have), the bare infinitive (have), or the participle (having).
He will have a party.
She wants to have
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Blue JayWhen you have two verbs together like that, the second one will be the infinitive (to have), the bare infinitive (have), or the participle (having).
Thanks for pointing that out teacher. But what does that have to do with our topic (kind of lost)?
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XerxesNo. "Might had been" is wrong, wrong, wrong. You just can't say it, ever.
Thanks a lot for your help. I agree sounds awkward.

So if I use ‘might’, it has to be followed by 'have been’ because it is equivalent to ‘had’. And without ‘might’, it has to be followed by ‘had been’. Am I right?
Xerxes"I thought you had been sick
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Might is followed by the bare infinitive form of the second verb. If there is a third verb, it can be in some other form, but you can't have might had or might has, it has to be might have.
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Blue JayMight is followed by the bare infinitive form of the second verb. If there is a third verb, it can be in some other form, but you can't have might had or might has, it has to be might have.
I see. And without ‘might’ it has to be ‘had been’ and not ‘have been’. Right?
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AnonymousI see. And without ‘might’ it has to be ‘had been’ and not ‘have been’. Right?
Yes. I thought you had been sick.
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Blue JayYes. I thought you had been sick.
Great. Thank you very much.
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