"had had been" ???

Question

http://www.vetmedassociates.com/PGS/news%20events.htm
Fortunately, this cat did have a chip! We found that the cat’s name was Frankie, and his owner lived fairly close to where he was found. We were able to contact Frankie’s owner who was very surprised and happy to find that we had her cat. He had had been missing for 7 months!! She was happy to come pick up her long lost friend!

In the above passage, why "had had been missing" is used instead of "had been missing"??

I can't find any reason why "had had" should be used here.
"He had been missing for 7 months" is already enough, right?

Also, I wonder in the below case "had had been" can be used?

(1) I haven't been practicing piano until now, I am not better than you.
--If I had been practicing piano until now, I would be better than you.

(2) I hadn't been practicing piano until that time, I was not better than you.
--If I had had been practicing piano until that time, I would have been better than you.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

kenkenken9876In the above passage, why "had had been missing" is used instead of "had been missing"??

It is a typing mistake.

kenkenken9876Also, I wonder in the below case "had had been" can be used?

No.

Kenkenken9876 · Answer

Mister Micawber kenkenken9876In the above passage, why "had had been missing" is used instead of "had been missing"??It is a typing mistake.kenkenken9876Also, I wonder in the below case "had had been" can be used?No.

I first thought so, but when I searched on the Internet, using the keyword "had had been", over hundreds of millions hit.
Among them there are some irrelevant usages but I also found many like this example.

In which case, "had had been" could be grammatical or meaningful?

Chipw · Answer

I found this reference on a yahoo search, it explains the use of 'had had' -

"Had had is the past perfect form of have when it is used as a main verb to describe our experiences and actions. We use the past perfect when we are talking about the past and want to refer back to an earlier past time[...]. In these examples, note the use of before, after, already and by the time as a trigger for the past perfect. Note also that the contracted form of had had is 'd had.

She'd had a lot to drink and wasn't capable of walking home by herself.

After he'd had a good night's sleep, he felt much better.

She sacked him before he had had a chance to explain his behaviour.

By the time he was twenty he'd already had four different jobs.

I'd already had a word with Joan about re-locating to Manchester and now she's had time to think about it, she quite likes the idea.

Note that past perfect forms are a feature of if-clauses in the third type of conditional sentence when we are explaining past actions or regretting past inaction. Thus, had had is likely to appear in this construction:

If I hadn't had a good education, I would never have got this job.

If she had had children later in life, she would have been a better mother.

If I'd had another ten minutes, I would've finished the examination paper.

Read more: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/558311#ixzz30BMNlw35 http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/558311#ixzz30BMNlw35

Mister Micawber · Answer

kenkenken9876 which case, "had had been" could be grammatical or meaningful?

No, never. In 'had had', the second 'had' is the past participle of the main verb.

I had had a sandwich when she arrived.
I had been in Chicago for a week when we met.
I had seen her twice already when we were introduced.

Chip's post gives other examples.

Chipw · Answer

I had had... is almost always contracted to "I'd had ..." as in "I'd had about all I could take of her lying." or "I'd been working on that job for more than 6 hours when..." and so on.

"had had been" ???

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