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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Is this sentence correct?

I have never thought I could get so attached to a cat, but here we are, the two of us, inseparable.

If it is correct, what's the difference between the sentence above to this one:

I never thought I could get so attached to a cat, but here we are, the two of us, inseparable.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

The second of these is correct. "I have never thought" includes the idea that you are still not thinking it, because if you have never thought it, you can't be thinking it now. "

— Sam1947

  • The second of these is correct.
  • "I have never thought" includes the idea that you are still not thinking it, because if you have never thought it, you can't be thinking it now.
  • "
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5 Answers
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The second of these is correct.

"I have never thought" includes the idea that you are still not thinking it, because if you have never thought it, you can't be thinking it now.

You could say, "I have never thought I could get attached to a cat, but now that I see my sister with hers, and how fond I've become of it, I think maybe I could."
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So the conclusion seems to be that the first sentence is incorrect.
That's my impression, anyway.
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Yes, the first would be incorrect because the timing aspect doesn't work.
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By the way, you could say, "I had never thought I would like having a cat, but..."

Had puts it totally in the past and doesn't preclude your currently thinking differently as "have never thought" does.
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