Is this sentence correct?

Question

Hello,

Can you please tell me whether the following sentence is correct or incorrect? If incorrect, please explain.

If mathematical thinking did not have existed, we would still have been living in caves.

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

AnonymousHello,

Can you please tell me whether the following sentence is correct or incorrect? If incorrect, please explain.

If mathematical thinking did not have existed, we would still have been living in caves.

did not have existed - This combination of verbs won't work. Use "had not existed" if you want to refer to a time in the past. Howevers, because the thinking exists now, try simply "did not exist."

we would still have been living - This may be okay if you mean the entire thing to refer to a time in the past, but you probably mean "we would still be living."

So: If mathematical thinking did not exist, we would still be living in caves.

or:

[Back when mankind first started forming communities -- or some other expression that makes it clear you are referring to a date in the past], if mathemathical thinking had not existed, they would still have been living in caves.

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