Present Perfect vs Past Simple in the following sentence. Which is correct and why ?
Hi, I have faced with the sentence at one of the English Grammar sites. The task was about correct tense using -- Present Perfect or Past Simple.

How sad! George (dream) of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He (see, never) the ocean.

My answer is:

How sad! George DREAMED of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He HAS NEVER SEEN the ocean.

The first one is in Past Simple and the second one is in Present Perfect (becuase I thought that George has never had such experience, to see the ocean)

But the correct answer at that site is:

How sad! George DREAMED of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He NEVER SAW the ocean.

Why ? Because both sentences should be used in the same tense ? Or because they are all about the specific time mentioned (before he died) ?

Thanks in advance for your answers! Help me to understand the example!

Question

Present Perfect vs Past Simple in the following sentence. Which is correct and why ?
Hi, I have faced with the sentence at one of the English Grammar sites. The task was about correct tense using -- Present Perfect or Past Simple.

How sad! George (dream)  of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He (see, never)  the ocean.

My answer is:

How sad! George DREAMED  of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He HAS NEVER SEEN the ocean.

The first one is in Past Simple and the second one is in Present Perfect  (becuase I thought that George has never had such experience, to see the ocean)
 
But the correct answer at that site is:

How sad! George DREAMED  of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He NEVER SAW the ocean.

Why ? Because both sentences should be used in the same tense ? Or because they are all about the specific time mentioned (before he died) ?

Thanks in advance for your answers! Help me to understand the example!

Answer

Ha!  I give this exact test to my students. :D  I know the previous question on that site sounds similar (and present perfect is needed there), but here you need simple past.

If you use ''has never seen'', that implies ''so far''.  There's still a chance of seeing the ocean. However, this cannot apply to George because he is dead.  His life is in the past, finished, and closed.

Answers · 2

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