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Jack112 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Past Perfect

Is #1 incorrect? If not, why?

1. They have never needed me more than they do now.

2. They had never needed me more than they do now.

3. The only thing I hadn't seen was someone trying to push their motorcycle up a hill before exhausting.

4. The only thing I hadn't seen is someone trying to push their motorcycle up a hill before exhausting. (I think 'is' is incorrect here? Is there a time where I use 'is' with 'hadn't' ?)

Thanks.
  

Top answer

No, I like #1 best . Number 2 seems impossible to use. Number 3 is fine; #4 seems very odd, but may have limited use (I cannot produce one, though).

— Mister Micawber

  • No, I like #1 best .
  • Number 2 seems impossible to use.
  • Number 3 is fine; #4 seems very odd, but may have limited use (I cannot produce one, though).
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25 Answers
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No, I like #1 best. Number 2 seems impossible to use. Number 3 is fine; #4 seems very odd, but may have limited use (I cannot produce one, though).
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No.2 could be corrected to this:

They had never needed me before, but now they do.

And no. 3 is okay in the past perfect, except for the confusing meaning of 'before exhausting'. Are you attempting to say that you'd never seen anyone push a motorcycle up a hill without getting exhausted?
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1. They have never needed me more than they do now. (I have two events here but it is correct with present perfect? How do I distinguish when to use past perfect then?)

2. They had never needed me more than they do now. (Why do I need before here? I have two events here already?)

Thanks.
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Jack,

A grammarian, which I am not, can probably give you a better technical explanation.

They had never needed me before, but now they do.

In my version, there are two separate clauses. The first indicates a past time and a condition ('never needed me') that is not ongoing. The second represents the present time and a condition ('need me')
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Could someone give me some more info on my post above please? Thanks. I still don't understand why it is wrong.
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1. They have never needed me more than they do now. (I have two events here but it is correct with present perfect? How do I distinguish when to use past perfect then?)
2. They had never needed me more than they do now. (Why do I need before here? I have two events here already?)


#2-- Two events, yes-- but not two past events, Jack.
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Hello Jack

May I put my two cents?

1. They have never needed me more than they do now.
2. They had never needed me more than they do now.
3. They had never needed me more than they did then.
As MM and Davkett said, the sentence #1 is a good sentence. I think the sentence #2 will be rarely used per se. Only plausible use of such a construc
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Mister MicawberI will never be needed more than I am now.
I have never been needed as much as I was then.
I have never been needed as much as I will be tomorrow.
I had never been needed as much as I was then.
I am never needed as much as I once was.
I am not yet needed as much as I will be.
etc.

And Humpty Dumpty can sa
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Paco2004
If she had looked no less lovely than she does now, I would have married her.


What stopped you from marrying her then, Paco? Are you sure she wouldn't be more impressed to hear you say this?--

If she had looked less lovely than she does now, I still would have married her.
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Hello Davkett

I think your English is very correct socially. What's wrong with me is I am too scientific about women.
paco
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