Tomorrow you will wish you had started today.
The sentence “Tomorrow you will wish you had started today” uses the past perfect tense (“had started”) because it reflects a hypothetical past action from the perspective of the future. Here’s the breakdown:
1. Structure of the Sentence:
- Main clause: “Tomorrow you will wish…” (future tense).
- Subordinate clause: “…you had started today.” (past perfect tense).
2. Why “had started”?
- The act of “starting” (today) must occur before the time of “wishing” (tomorrow).
- From tomorrow’s perspective, “starting today” is a past action that didn’t happen. The past perfect (“had started”) emphasizes that this action is unreal or hypothetical by the time the wish is made.
3. Why Not “have started” (present perfect)?
- The present perfect (“have started”) connects a past action to the present (e.g., “I have started today”).
- Here, the reference point is tomorrow (future), not the present. The past perfect aligns with the future time of wishing.
4. Why Not “started” (simple past)?
- The simple past (“started”) would describe a factual past action, but the sentence is about a regret (something you didn’t do).
- The past perfect (“had started”) highlights the hypothetical nature of the action in the context of a wish.
Example Comparison:
- Correct: “Tomorrow you will wish you had started today.”
(The starting didn’t happen, and tomorrow you’ll regret it.) - Incorrect: “Tomorrow you will wish you started today.”
(This mixes tenses improperly, as “started” lacks the hypothetical nuance.)
Key Takeaway:
The past perfect (“had started”) is used to show unfulfilled actions in the past relative to a future moment of regret. It’s a common structure for hypothetical or counterfactual statements with “wish.”