Sentence help had or w/o had

Question

I didn't have a chance to write that I was looking for a house. I had finally found one yesterday.

Is this right?

I didn't have a chance to write that I had been looking for a house. I finally found one
yesterday.
or this one?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

#2.

I don't see any reason here to use Past Perfect.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

#2 is right?

I used "had been looking" though which is in past perfect.

Please explain.

CalifJim · Answer

You look first. Then you find.

On a time line:

[past]..............looked........found.........[present]...........[future]

1. Telling the events in order:

I looked for it. Then I found it.

2. Telling the events out of order.

I found it. I had been looking for it.
I finally found a house. I had been looking for a house for months.

You use the past perfect (had ...) when you tell your story in the "wrong order" and have to go backwards in time.

CJ

Sentence help had or w/o had

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