Tense: It was the most exciting trip that I _____.

Question

It was the most exciting trip that I ___.(A) have had (B) had had (C) have (D) hadWhich option is correct?

Avangi · Accepted Answer

sitifanIt was the most exciting trip that I __.
(A) have had (B) had had (C) have (D) had Hi, sitifan.

I like the past perfect in this case.

In my opinion the first tense refers not to the trip but to the evaluation.

The second tense refers not to having the recollection of the trip but to completing the trip. (To have a trip is to complete a trip. That is, we wouldn't say, "I'm sorry, I can't help you right now. I'm having a trip." - unless we're talking about a bad trip!) Edit.I suppose we may phone someone and ask, "Are you having an exciting trip?" - This gets very complicated.

Since your evaluation of the trip was in the past, the trip must have been completed prior to the evaluation, unless you wish to argue that the level of excitement "mid-trip" had already surpassed anything previously experienced.

I don't think you can call the simple past incorrect. "Was" and "had" are both simple past, and the only context available to determine which came first, the being most exciting, or the trip, is the common sense logic that you can't evaluate an experience you haven't had at least in part.

I suppose the highlighted statement is arguable also. But it's hard to say that it refers to the time of the trip. You could put the whole thing in the present tense, and say "That is the most exciting trip I had had before I got married. In this case, the "is" clearly refers to the evaluation.

Best wishes, - A.

Tense: It was the most exciting trip that I _____.

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