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I never saw her before vs I had never seen her before

Both expressions are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "I never saw her before" uses the simple past tense to express that the speaker did not see someone at a specific point in the past. "I had never seen her before" uses the past perfect tense to indicate that the lack of seeing her occurred before another past event. The best choice depends on the context and the specific time relationship being expressed.
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Explained by Camille
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: August 23, 2024

I never saw her before

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used in the simple past tense to express that the speaker did not see someone at a specific point in the past.

Examples:

  • I never saw her before yesterday.
  • He never saw the movie before last night.

Alternatives:

  • I didn't see her before.
  • I have never seen her before.

I had never seen her before

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used in the past perfect tense to indicate that the lack of seeing her occurred before another past event.

Examples:

  • I had never seen her before she moved in next door.
  • She had never seen such a beautiful sunset before.

Alternatives:

  • I had not seen her before.
  • I had never seen her until that day.

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