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In the old days, I didn't like coffee. However, at some point I stared to like it. In this situation, what's the difference between these?
I had grown to like coffee. vs I grew to like coffee.
I had come to like coffee. vs I came to like coffee.
I had stated to like coffee. vs I started to like coffee.
In each of the three cases, the past perfect begs for more.
I had come to like coffee... and???
I had started to like coffee... but???
The phrases want to be completed:
I had grown to like coffee over five years but now I don't drink it for health reasons.
I had come to like coffee and now drink it every day.
The past are just simple statements. There's no need for more information.
"I had grown", etc, is normally used when you are saying that the action was completed before some other action or specified time. Like, "I had grown to like coffee when I was living in Brazil" or "I had grown to like coffee before I turned 30."
"I have grown" stands on its own.
"Come to like" and "Grown to like" mean pretty much the same thing in this context. "Started to like" might mean that you don't fully like it, but you are beginning to.
