He had suffered ill health or he suffered

0Mr Cheney said Mr Ford gave the country the strength, wisdom and good judgement it needed as it faced its greatest constitutional crisis since the civil war. 02br
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02br 05002br 00People placed flags and flowers outside the Gerald Ford Museum02br 02br 02td

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00In Michigan, a makeshift shrine formed outside the Gerald Ford Museum as a steady stream of people lit candles and laid flowers and flags. 02br
00Gerald Ford lived with his wife Betty, 88, at Rancho Mirage, about 130 miles (210km) east of Los Angeles in southern California. 02br
00The former president had suffered ill health this year and was taken to hospital four times for tests and angioplasty. He suffered a stroke in 2000. 02br
00Last month he became the longest-living US president when he reached 93 years and 122 days, passing the record held by President Ronald Reagan. 02br
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00He lived with his wife Betty. [The simple past tense.]02br
00He sufferec a stroke. [ The simple past tense.]02br
00He had suffered ill health this year and was taken to hospital four times. [ This is past perfect.]02br
00It is obvious to me that this is a past event. He was ill several times this year and was taken to hospital.02br
01font00Is it necessary to write past perfect in this context?02font02br
02br
01font001.He suffered ill health this year and was taken to hospital four times. 02br
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01font00The above simple past sentence is ample in this case, I believe.02font02br
00Your comment please.02br
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