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Ansonguy Posted 5 years ago
Grammar

Verb form [have eaten] or [had eaten]

I have made up the examples below.

(1) Jack said, "Let's have some pizza. It might be something new to you."

I replied, "I have eaten it a few times before. I ate a 6-inch one for lunch last weekend. I would love to have more."

(2) Jack said, "Let's have some pizza. It might be something new to you."

I replied, "I had eaten it a few times before. I ate a 6-inch one for lunch last weekend. I would love to have more."


Most of my non-native English speaking friends think (2) is correct. The reason is that the pluperfect "had eaten" includes all the pizza meals up to the last one you had last weekend. They think (1) doesn't make sense because the present perfect "have eaten" includes the next pizza you will eat with Jack.

I am not sure if my friends are correct. Please help me. Thank you very much.

  

Top answer

ansonguy Most of my non-native English speaking friends think (2) is correct. They are wrong. ansonguy The reason is that the pluperfect "had eaten" includes all the pizza meals up to the last one you had last weekend.

— Anonymous

  • ansonguy Most of my non-native English speaking friends think (2) is correct.
  • They are wrong.
  • ansonguy The reason is that the pluperfect "had eaten" includes all the pizza meals up to the last one you had last weekend.
  • That is not what that tense does.
  • It sets a time in the past from the perspective of a later time in the past.
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1 Answers
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ansonguyMost of my non-native English speaking friends think (2) is correct.

They are wrong.

ansonguyThe reason is that the pluperfect "had eaten" includes all the pizza meals up to the last one you had last weekend.

That is not what that tense does. It sets a time in the past from the perspective of a later time i

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