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Cat desk Posted 7 years ago
Grammar

"past perfect" vs "present perfect"

Should I use present perfect or past perfect in the following context? Are they both correct?

  • Jason, did you see yesterday's match between Liverpool and Chelsea? What a match it was! I have never/had never seen a match like that before.

I think both are correct but I am not sure. I think If I use past perfect it mean "before yesterday's match" and If I use present perfect it brings my experience to the present day.

  

Top answer

cat desk Jason, did you see yesterday's match between Liverpool and Chelsea? What a match it was! I had never seen a match like that before.

  • cat desk Jason, did you see yesterday's match between Liverpool and Chelsea?
  • What a match it was!
  • I had never seen a match like that before.
  • Use past perfect, had never seen, because you did see such a match yesterday.
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2 Answers
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cat deskJason, did you see yesterday's match between Liverpool and Chelsea? What a match it was! I had never seen a match like that before.

Use past perfect, had never seen, because you did see such a match yesterday.

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There is a time gap between yesterday and the time you say the sentence. "Yesterday" establishes a reference point in the past. Therefore, 'have never seen' does not apply. Because of that time gap, use 'had never seen'.

CJ

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