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I want to ask how to use more than one tense in a sentence. In the sentences below, which are correct?

  1. I have to take a picture of the cake before it is gone.
  2. I had to take a picture of the cake before it is gone.
  3. I had to take a picture of the cake before it was gone.
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I think option 1 and 3 are correct but 2 is definitely wrong. I can feel it when reading aloud due to the use of the present tense and the past tense in the same sentence.

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    I agree. Btw, "gone" is an adjective in the OP's examples.
    – BillJ
    Commented Jul 19, 2016 at 18:35
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The present perfect tense ("have to take") can be used with present tense ("is gone") in the same sentence with no problem, as in #1. The same goes for the past perfect tense ("had to take") and the past tense ("was gone"), as in #3. But you can't use the past perfect with present tense (as in #2) or the present perfect with past tense (e.g. *"I have to take a picture of the cake before it was gone").

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Depends of when you want to use it.The first one is correct if the cake is in front of you and you are talking in the present.If you are talking about a situation that was in the past the 3rd one is the correct one.

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