I HAD / HAVE never seen a match like that before!
"Have never seen" or "Had never seen": Which one is correct in the following context? If they are both correct, then which one would you prefer?
- John, did you see the match between Liverpool and Chelsea yesterday? What a beautiful match it was! It was the best match I have ever seen. I have never seen/had never seen a match like that before.
I asked a similar question yesterday, where the answerer said present perfect and past perfect both are correct. But in this one I have used yesterday and I am not sure whether both tenses can be used or only one is correct.
present-perfect past-perfect
asked 2 days ago
subhajit dalal
8118
add a comment |
"Have never seen" or "Had never seen": Which one is correct in the following context? If they are both correct, then which one would you prefer?
- John, did you see the match between Liverpool and Chelsea yesterday? What a beautiful match it was! It was the best match I have ever seen. I have never seen/had never seen a match like that before.
I asked a similar question yesterday, where the answerer said present perfect and past perfect both are correct. But in this one I have used yesterday and I am not sure whether both tenses can be used or only one is correct.
present-perfect past-perfect
asked 2 days ago
subhajit dalal
8118
add a comment |
"Have never seen" or "Had never seen": Which one is correct in the following context? If they are both correct, then which one would you prefer?
- John, did you see the match between Liverpool and Chelsea yesterday? What a beautiful match it was! It was the best match I have ever seen. I have never seen/had never seen a match like that before.
I asked a similar question yesterday, where the answerer said present perfect and past perfect both are correct. But in this one I have used yesterday and I am not sure whether both tenses can be used or only one is correct.
present-perfect past-perfect
asked 2 days ago
subhajit dalal
8118
"Have never seen" or "Had never seen": Which one is correct in the following context? If they are both correct, then which one would you prefer?
- John, did you see the match between Liverpool and Chelsea yesterday? What a beautiful match it was! It was the best match I have ever seen. I have never seen/had never seen a match like that before.
I asked a similar question yesterday, where the answerer said present perfect and past perfect both are correct. But in this one I have used yesterday and I am not sure whether both tenses can be used or only one is correct.
present-perfect past-perfect
present-perfect past-perfect
asked 2 days ago
subhajit dalal
8118
asked 2 days ago
subhajit dalal
8118
edited 2 days ago
asked 2 days ago
subhajit dalal
8118
asked 2 days ago
subhajit dalal
8118
asked 2 days ago
subhajit dalal
8118
8118
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
It was the best match I had ever seen. You watched the match yesterday (= past) and up until that point in time you had never seen such a great match.
"have never seen before" refers to the present, up until this moment in time.
answered 2 days ago
anouk
1,007212
5
In other words, both are correct, but in general they have different meanings. Since the OP's sentence is referring to something that happened "yesterday*, the difference in meaning is probably not important, unless the OP saw an even *better" match "today," after the one the sentence refers to.
– alephzero
2 days ago
But when I say "I have never seen a match like that before." It means I have not seen a match like that so far. But how can it be true when I saw a match like that yesterday? That's why I think I should use "past perfect" there. Please someone reply and make it clear to me.
– subhajit dalal
2 days ago
Read Ronald's explanation, I think he makes it perfectly clear.
– anouk
2 days ago
add a comment |
Both are correct. Which tense you prefer depends just on your view of how recent the match is in your mind rather than the time that has elapsed since.
There is a grey area when it comes to reporting events between those that have just occurred and those that occurred some time ago.
Imagine that you witness a dreadful accident at 10.00 on a Monday.
On Monday afternoon you might say:
It is the worst accident I have ever seen.
A week later when you met friends you might say:
It was the worst accident I have/had ever seen.
There is no defined point between the time of the accident and the following weekend when is becomes was and have seen becomes had seen.
The same principle holds when you phrase the statement in the negative have never seen and had never seen.
What determines the difference is simply how you regard the event - how recent it is in your mind. At some point we mentally move such events from our immediate experience to past experience and change the tense accordingly when we report them.
So even though you are talking about yesterday's match, it is probably still the best match that you have ever seen. You have never seen a better one.
answered 2 days ago
Ronald Sole
9,35211019
You seem to be answering a slightly different question than what the OP asked. In particular, the word "never" doesn't even appear in your answer.
– Ilmari Karonen
2 days ago
Indeed! I have modified my answer to address the issue.
– Ronald Sole
2 days ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
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oldest
votes
It was the best match I had ever seen. You watched the match yesterday (= past) and up until that point in time you had never seen such a great match.
"have never seen before" refers to the present, up until this moment in time.
answered 2 days ago
anouk
1,007212
5
In other words, both are correct, but in general they have different meanings. Since the OP's sentence is referring to something that happened "yesterday*, the difference in meaning is probably not important, unless the OP saw an even *better" match "today," after the one the sentence refers to.
– alephzero
2 days ago
But when I say "I have never seen a match like that before." It means I have not seen a match like that so far. But how can it be true when I saw a match like that yesterday? That's why I think I should use "past perfect" there. Please someone reply and make it clear to me.
– subhajit dalal
2 days ago
Read Ronald's explanation, I think he makes it perfectly clear.
– anouk
2 days ago
add a comment |
It was the best match I had ever seen. You watched the match yesterday (= past) and up until that point in time you had never seen such a great match.
"have never seen before" refers to the present, up until this moment in time.
answered 2 days ago
anouk
1,007212
5
In other words, both are correct, but in general they have different meanings. Since the OP's sentence is referring to something that happened "yesterday*, the difference in meaning is probably not important, unless the OP saw an even *better" match "today," after the one the sentence refers to.
– alephzero
2 days ago
But when I say "I have never seen a match like that before." It means I have not seen a match like that so far. But how can it be true when I saw a match like that yesterday? That's why I think I should use "past perfect" there. Please someone reply and make it clear to me.
– subhajit dalal
2 days ago
Read Ronald's explanation, I think he makes it perfectly clear.
– anouk
2 days ago
add a comment |
It was the best match I had ever seen. You watched the match yesterday (= past) and up until that point in time you had never seen such a great match.
"have never seen before" refers to the present, up until this moment in time.
answered 2 days ago
anouk
1,007212
It was the best match I had ever seen. You watched the match yesterday (= past) and up until that point in time you had never seen such a great match.
"have never seen before" refers to the present, up until this moment in time.
answered 2 days ago
anouk
1,007212
edited 2 days ago
answered 2 days ago
anouk
1,007212
answered 2 days ago
anouk
1,007212
answered 2 days ago
anouk
1,007212
1,007212
5
In other words, both are correct, but in general they have different meanings. Since the OP's sentence is referring to something that happened "yesterday*, the difference in meaning is probably not important, unless the OP saw an even *better" match "today," after the one the sentence refers to.
– alephzero
2 days ago
But when I say "I have never seen a match like that before." It means I have not seen a match like that so far. But how can it be true when I saw a match like that yesterday? That's why I think I should use "past perfect" there. Please someone reply and make it clear to me.
– subhajit dalal
2 days ago
Read Ronald's explanation, I think he makes it perfectly clear.
– anouk
2 days ago
add a comment |
5
In other words, both are correct, but in general they have different meanings. Since the OP's sentence is referring to something that happened "yesterday*, the difference in meaning is probably not important, unless the OP saw an even *better" match "today," after the one the sentence refers to.
– alephzero
2 days ago
But when I say "I have never seen a match like that before." It means I have not seen a match like that so far. But how can it be true when I saw a match like that yesterday? That's why I think I should use "past perfect" there. Please someone reply and make it clear to me.
– subhajit dalal
2 days ago
Read Ronald's explanation, I think he makes it perfectly clear.
– anouk
2 days ago
5
5
In other words, both are correct, but in general they have different meanings. Since the OP's sentence is referring to something that happened "yesterday*, the difference in meaning is probably not important, unless the OP saw an even *better" match "today," after the one the sentence refers to.
– alephzero
2 days ago
In other words, both are correct, but in general they have different meanings. Since the OP's sentence is referring to something that happened "yesterday*, the difference in meaning is probably not important, unless the OP saw an even *better" match "today," after the one the sentence refers to.
– alephzero
2 days ago
But when I say "I have never seen a match like that before." It means I have not seen a match like that so far. But how can it be true when I saw a match like that yesterday? That's why I think I should use "past perfect" there. Please someone reply and make it clear to me.
– subhajit dalal
2 days ago
But when I say "I have never seen a match like that before." It means I have not seen a match like that so far. But how can it be true when I saw a match like that yesterday? That's why I think I should use "past perfect" there. Please someone reply and make it clear to me.
– subhajit dalal
2 days ago
Read Ronald's explanation, I think he makes it perfectly clear.
– anouk
2 days ago
Read Ronald's explanation, I think he makes it perfectly clear.
– anouk
2 days ago
add a comment |
Both are correct. Which tense you prefer depends just on your view of how recent the match is in your mind rather than the time that has elapsed since.
There is a grey area when it comes to reporting events between those that have just occurred and those that occurred some time ago.
Imagine that you witness a dreadful accident at 10.00 on a Monday.
On Monday afternoon you might say:
It is the worst accident I have ever seen.
A week later when you met friends you might say:
It was the worst accident I have/had ever seen.
There is no defined point between the time of the accident and the following weekend when is becomes was and have seen becomes had seen.
The same principle holds when you phrase the statement in the negative have never seen and had never seen.
What determines the difference is simply how you regard the event - how recent it is in your mind. At some point we mentally move such events from our immediate experience to past experience and change the tense accordingly when we report them.
So even though you are talking about yesterday's match, it is probably still the best match that you have ever seen. You have never seen a better one.
answered 2 days ago
Ronald Sole
9,35211019
You seem to be answering a slightly different question than what the OP asked. In particular, the word "never" doesn't even appear in your answer.
– Ilmari Karonen
2 days ago
Indeed! I have modified my answer to address the issue.
– Ronald Sole
2 days ago
add a comment |
Both are correct. Which tense you prefer depends just on your view of how recent the match is in your mind rather than the time that has elapsed since.
There is a grey area when it comes to reporting events between those that have just occurred and those that occurred some time ago.
Imagine that you witness a dreadful accident at 10.00 on a Monday.
On Monday afternoon you might say:
It is the worst accident I have ever seen.
A week later when you met friends you might say:
It was the worst accident I have/had ever seen.
There is no defined point between the time of the accident and the following weekend when is becomes was and have seen becomes had seen.
The same principle holds when you phrase the statement in the negative have never seen and had never seen.
What determines the difference is simply how you regard the event - how recent it is in your mind. At some point we mentally move such events from our immediate experience to past experience and change the tense accordingly when we report them.
So even though you are talking about yesterday's match, it is probably still the best match that you have ever seen. You have never seen a better one.
answered 2 days ago
Ronald Sole
9,35211019
You seem to be answering a slightly different question than what the OP asked. In particular, the word "never" doesn't even appear in your answer.
– Ilmari Karonen
2 days ago
Indeed! I have modified my answer to address the issue.
– Ronald Sole
2 days ago
add a comment |
Both are correct. Which tense you prefer depends just on your view of how recent the match is in your mind rather than the time that has elapsed since.
There is a grey area when it comes to reporting events between those that have just occurred and those that occurred some time ago.
Imagine that you witness a dreadful accident at 10.00 on a Monday.
On Monday afternoon you might say:
It is the worst accident I have ever seen.
A week later when you met friends you might say:
It was the worst accident I have/had ever seen.
There is no defined point between the time of the accident and the following weekend when is becomes was and have seen becomes had seen.
The same principle holds when you phrase the statement in the negative have never seen and had never seen.
What determines the difference is simply how you regard the event - how recent it is in your mind. At some point we mentally move such events from our immediate experience to past experience and change the tense accordingly when we report them.
So even though you are talking about yesterday's match, it is probably still the best match that you have ever seen. You have never seen a better one.
answered 2 days ago
Ronald Sole
9,35211019
Both are correct. Which tense you prefer depends just on your view of how recent the match is in your mind rather than the time that has elapsed since.
There is a grey area when it comes to reporting events between those that have just occurred and those that occurred some time ago.
Imagine that you witness a dreadful accident at 10.00 on a Monday.
On Monday afternoon you might say:
It is the worst accident I have ever seen.
A week later when you met friends you might say:
It was the worst accident I have/had ever seen.
There is no defined point between the time of the accident and the following weekend when is becomes was and have seen becomes had seen.
The same principle holds when you phrase the statement in the negative have never seen and had never seen.
What determines the difference is simply how you regard the event - how recent it is in your mind. At some point we mentally move such events from our immediate experience to past experience and change the tense accordingly when we report them.
So even though you are talking about yesterday's match, it is probably still the best match that you have ever seen. You have never seen a better one.
answered 2 days ago
Ronald Sole
9,35211019
edited 2 days ago
answered 2 days ago
Ronald Sole
9,35211019
answered 2 days ago
Ronald Sole
9,35211019
answered 2 days ago
Ronald Sole
9,35211019
9,35211019
You seem to be answering a slightly different question than what the OP asked. In particular, the word "never" doesn't even appear in your answer.
– Ilmari Karonen
2 days ago
Indeed! I have modified my answer to address the issue.
– Ronald Sole
2 days ago
add a comment |
You seem to be answering a slightly different question than what the OP asked. In particular, the word "never" doesn't even appear in your answer.
– Ilmari Karonen
2 days ago
Indeed! I have modified my answer to address the issue.
– Ronald Sole
2 days ago
You seem to be answering a slightly different question than what the OP asked. In particular, the word "never" doesn't even appear in your answer.
– Ilmari Karonen
2 days ago
You seem to be answering a slightly different question than what the OP asked. In particular, the word "never" doesn't even appear in your answer.
– Ilmari Karonen
2 days ago
Indeed! I have modified my answer to address the issue.
– Ronald Sole
2 days ago
Indeed! I have modified my answer to address the issue.
– Ronald Sole
2 days ago
add a comment |
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