[Cross-posted, Franta was quicker!]
Na vazbě had been + until není nic špatně.
Použití předminulého času klade větší důraz na to, že stav (being
happy) existoval ještě dřív. Jak píšete, stačí simple past (I was
happy until …), a většina lidí by se taky tak vyjádřila – viz Ngram.
Ale když chcete mermomocí použít předminulý čas, tak:
- I had been happy until you appeared in my life.
- I had been happy until you came into my life.
- I was happy until you appeared in my life.
- I was happy until you came into my life.
- I used to be happy until you appeared in my life.
- I used to be happy until you came into my life.
- I had been happy before you appeared in my life.
- I had been happy before you came into my life.
- I was happy before you appeared in my life.
- I was happy before you came into my life.
- I used to be happy before you appeared in my life.
- I used to be happy before you came into my life.
Význam všech dvanácti vět je stejný. “Came into my
life” kolokuje líp než “appeared in my life”, viz Ngram.
Until/before you had appeared in / had come into není v dané časové relaci možné.
“Appeared” happened after I was happy, not
before.