Tagged Questions
-2
votes
2answers
1k views
When do we use “had had” and “have had”? [duplicate]
I have seen several sentences in English where some writers have written had twice in a row. I am a bit confused about when the grammar calls for using had had.
For example:
I had had my car ...
1
vote
1answer
130 views
How to understand perfect tense? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
I have a difficult time to understand perfect tense.
I don't see the different for the following two ...
2
votes
3answers
293 views
Using modal verb 'could' for simple past
If I form a sentence like:
I could read the book if I hadn't wasted my time.
Would it be considered a past perfect sentence with the part I could read the book being in simple past for context ...
5
votes
4answers
153 views
Can I separate events with period to form past perfect?
Can I say the following?
The doorbell rang. He had finished his meal.
I know I could join the sentences into one sentence to get the same meaning. I want to know if this would be correct if I ...
2
votes
2answers
342 views
Past perfect events timeline
In the following example:
He had walked away when she looked at him.
If it is correct then which event came first? "She looked at him" should come first before "He had walked away" but here to me, ...
-2
votes
3answers
4k views
“I met” vs “I've met” [closed]
What's the difference between the following?
I met him in the UK.
I've met him in the UK.
Does the second sentence mean that the event was happened recently?
0
votes
1answer
355 views
Simple past or past perfect in this example
In the following examples:
When I was five years old I had a dog.
Is this a past perfect sentence? Here, I know that the 'dog' is not a verb and because we use third form of verb after 'had' so ...
1
vote
2answers
678 views
Past perfect tense in this example
For the following example:
I had seen many beautiful shops in UK, when I was walking down the street years ago.
I'm not sure if the phrase "years ago" at the end of this sentence is correct. ...
2
votes
2answers
192 views
Choosing Past Simple or Past Perfect: Do I need “had” here?
Do I need "had" here? If yes, do I need to change "did" to "done"?
A: Lucy accidentally broke her mum’s favorite cup yesterday.
B: Oh! I think her mom was really angry at her, right?
A: ...
3
votes
2answers
677 views
“I had been typing” vs “I was typing” vs “I typed”
I read this on a another forum but couldn't figure out the logic behind the answers.
He had been typing for three hours before he realised that he had typed the wrong documents.
He had been ...
1
vote
2answers
184 views
Why past perfect in the following?
The following is taken from a website. In the context below why the second part, "had signed", is in past perfect?
... The case was scheduled to be tried before the justice of the peace in the ...
2
votes
1answer
14k views
“have been” versus “had been” in questions [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
"I can tell that he's not English, but I wouldn't had been able to tell that he's french if you didn't ...
1
vote
5answers
6k views
Can I use “I have asked something”
I wonder whether “ask” can be used as verb in past or present perfect tense. I used “I have asked something from somebody” in email, but this sentence sounds a little weird to me. So I want to check ...
1
vote
3answers
4k views
“I had finished the work on friday” / “I have finished the work”
Every morning, I have to speak in English. Suppose that today is Monday.
Do these two sentences convey the same meaning?
On Friday, I had finished the work.
"Had" is used here because it is ...
8
votes
3answers
365 views
What difference does using 'had' make to those two verb tenses, and if so, what is it?
What is the difference between if I had studied and if I studied?
Can you provide an example of when one usage would be more appropriate than the other?
2
votes
2answers
444 views
Should the past perfect be eschewed?
The past perfect serves a purpose: When describing things that happened in the past, it allows us to discuss things that happened before (i.e., in the past’s past). However, a procession of had, had, ...
