a grammar SAT question

<p>(we had never seen) anything like this style before , we thought we were looking at giant sculptures,not buildings.</p>

<p>correct answer is : never having seen .
why not :
1- the original form ( we had never seen)
2- we never saw
3-never had we seen
4-never seeing.
help me , pleaseee :0</p>

<p>1, 2 and maybe 3 (not really acquainted with this kind of syntax) would create a comma splice.</p>

<p>I would vacillate between “never seeing” and “never having seen” but I would finally decide to pick never having seen in reference to my native language (it’s not very shrewd but it works)</p>

<p>Look at my last reply (it may help) <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-act-tests-test-preparation/1496771-sat-question-grammar.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-act-tests-test-preparation/1496771-sat-question-grammar.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>im international too , haha! egypt! you? and thank you ^.^</p>