past perfec + present

Question

"I'm afraid that we find problems before we had started marital life."which kind of grammar this sentence has?how can we use past perfect beside present?Thanks

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Anonymouswhich kind of grammar this sentence has?

Poor.

Anonymoushow can we use past perfect beside present?

I can't imagine, unless it's something like this:

He always says, "I could never find my pants when my mother had washed them and put them away."

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI'm afraid that we find problems before we had started marital life.

I'm afraid that we had problems even before we were married.

AnonymousHow can we use the past perfect beside the present?

That combination is rather rare. In an appropriate context verbs of appearance or opinion can sometimes take a clause in the past perfect.

It seems that I hadn't thought of that.
Henry thinks that Marge had already arrived by then.

CJ

past perfec + present

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