past simple/past perfect with until

[Verona_82]

Hello,

I've got two sentences from a grammar book:

(1) I lived in Madrid until I was 18.
(2) If he hadn't done that, we must still be leading the life that had made us so happy until that terrible evening.

If I used the past perfect in (1) (had lived) and the past simple in (2) (made), would the sentences still be perfectly grammatical?

Thank you!

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello,

I've got two sentences from a grammar book:

(1) I lived in Madrid until I was 18.
(2) If he hadn't done that, we must still be leading the life that had made us so happy until that terrible evening.

If I used the past perfect in (1) (had lived) and the past simple in (2) (made), would the sentences still be perfectly grammatical?

Thank you!

1. "Had lived" would only work if you then followed it with some other information. "I lived in Berlin from the age of 18 and a half. I had lived in Madrid until I was 18 but I decided I fancied a change so I moved to Germany". Even then, "I lived in Madrid" would be just as acceptable.

2. Firstly, "must" does not fit here. It should read "If he hadn't done that, we would still be leading the life ..."
In my opinion, "we would still be leading the life that made us so happy until that terrible evening" does not work. You have specified a time in the past (that terrible evening) and you are referring to a time before that time (the happy life) so "had made" is appropriate.

 

[Verona_82]

Thank you! Why can't 'until I was 18" in (1) be a specified time in the past before which I'm referring to without any additional information?

 

[5jj]

Why can't 'until I was 18" in (1) be a specified time in the past before which I'm referring to without any additional information?

Because there is no other time referred to without additional information.