[Grammar] Just when I thought I can/could...

[mamen]

Teachers,

Is this grammatically correct?

Just when I thought I can live my life alone, it was only then that I realized how stupid I have become.

Should I change can to could?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Matthew Wai]

I would use 'could' and 'had' instead of 'can' and 'have', but I am not a teacher.

 

[mamen]

Would that mean that it's not right to use the words 'can' and 'have' in the given sentence?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Matthew Wai]

The whole sentence refers to the past, so I would not use 'can' and 'have'.

Not a teacher.

 

[BobK]

:up:....Or put the thought in quotes: 'Just when I thought "I can live my life alone"...' Quotation marks can be a neat way of avoiding worries about the grammar; unfortunately, though, they're hard to hear. ;-)

b

 

[MikeNewYork]

I would use "could" and "had".