Present Perfect or Past Perfect or Past Tense

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

I have decided that I wouldn’t trust her anymore

I had decided that I wouldn’t trust her anymore

I decided that I wouldn’t trust her anymore

2

I have decided that I won’t trust her anymore. (From this moment on)

I had decided that I wouldn’t trust her anymore. (Sometime in the past, but it seems somehting has changed your mind or something else has happened or there’s no need for the past perfect.)

I decided that I wouldn’t trust her anymore. (Decision in the past and still applies today.)

3

“an unspecified time” so second is better…

4

Hi,

I’m having problems with the first one - I have decided … I wouldn’t … I am assuming that ‘I have decided’ is a recent decision and it points for me to a ‘future’ feeling and for that I think I won’t trust is better. The next two in that case (the one I am suggesting) follow as examples of ‘reporting’ what I am suggesting in the revised first one.

Alan

5

No, Volcano, that sort of thinking will only lead to errors.
The past perfect is generally used to specify that a specific activity happened further the past than another specific past activity.
.

6

[b]
I had decided “1”

I wouldn’t trust her anymore “2”

And I had decided in an unspecified time[/b]

7

Hi Volcano

A time does not have to be specifically stated in order to use the simple past tense.
.

8

I know