Problem with Sequence of Tenses

Question

Hi
Do I say:
I thought of breaking the bad news to him once he comes home OR
I thought of breaking the bad news to him once he came home
or should it be something else?

note that "once he comes/came home" did not occurred yet (it's an expected future event in the past) when "I thought of breaking the bad news to him"

similarly should it be

I thought of breaking the bad news to him if he comes home OR
I thought of breaking the bad news to him if he came home
or something else?

thanks

Guest · Accepted Answer

I thought of breaking the bad news to him if he comes home.

Moijelesuis · Answer

i would say "i am/was thinking of breaking the news to him when he comes home". if you put the first part in the definite past tense, it implies that you have decided NOT to break the news to him when he comes home.

i thought about it, but have since changed my mind...

therefore a progressive tense is needed.

Problem with Sequence of Tenses

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