Discussion Groups / English Usage / February 2010

1 is what I would say. I might also say 3. If I were writing formally
(and long-windedly) I might extend it to: "I left home early to make
sure that I would have extra time in case I were to get lost."

2 is incorrect.  1 and 3 are fine.

Marius Hancu asks about:

I think some Americans would say 2, but for me it's wrong.

The other two are essentially interchangeable.  1 refers to having
extra time at some unspecified time or specifically at the time you
left the house, while 3 refers to having it later, when you got lost.
But because of the way "extra time" works, they both come out to the
same thing.

Marius Hancu <marius.hancu@gmail.com>:

The meaning is clear and the grammar is correct for all three.

1 is what I might say
2 is unbearably long-winded
3 is intermediate

Assuming that you don't expect to get lost, I'd probably simplify by
writing "if" instead of "in case", especially in 2 and 3.

What an amazing variety of answers so far.

Only #3 is correct.  The future perfect "represents that an action or
state will be completed at or before a certain time yet future."  The
temporal point of reference is that set by the speaker/writer, who, by
beginning in the simple past, has marked that as the reference point for
determining futurity.

In "colloquial" use, the future perfect is often replaced by the simple
future or, in a subordinate clause, by the present, future, or present
perfect.

If you want colloquial, take your pick; if you want correct, stick with
#3.  Tense is not a fashion accessory.

None really, unless the purpose of your question is about technical
language options;
I would think  that most people might say "I left home early in case I
got lost"

There is really no need to double up on the reason for leaving "early"
as in to "have extra time" + "in case I got lost".

I have no quibble with numbers 1 or 3, but number 2 strikes me as a
literal translation from some other language.  I am undoubtedly being
influence in that perception by the fact that I am one of the few
native speakers of English in my present work place, where I often
hear such formulations -- and have to stop myself from using them
sometimes.  So I might actually say number 2, but then realise I was
wrong.

That's my 2 cents' worth.

cheers from Brussels,
Stephanie