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Pag161 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
When to use "had".
Please don't say "in past perfect". I know it very well. But I've never understood what it meant to be "perfect". If I can "perfectly" describe any time interval where that incidence of which I am talking about "had" taken place, then it is perfect, right?
But still I'm confused. Please can you help me.
And please notice how weirdly I've used my last "had".
But still I'm confused. Please can you help me.
And please notice how weirdly I've used my last "had".
Top answer
Hi pag161; Welcome to the Forums. " An obsolete meaning of "perfect" is "assured" or "certain," which certainly applies to an action in the past perfect tense. Although the action itself may not have been done correctly, it is certain that it has finished.
- Hi pag161; Welcome to the Forums.
- " An obsolete meaning of "perfect" is "assured" or "certain," which certainly applies to an action in the past perfect tense.
- Although the action itself may not have been done correctly, it is certain that it has finished.
- Grammar a.
- noting an action or state brought to a close prior to some temporal point of reference, i n contrast to imperfect or incomplete action.
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3 Answers
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Hi pag161; Welcome to the Forums.
You seem to have mastered the pluperfect tense, but are asking about the definition of "perfect," as in "past perfect."
From the dictionary, posted below is one of the definitions of "perfect." An obsolete meaning of "perfect" is "assured" or "certain," which certainly applies to an action in the past perfect tense. Although the action itself m
You seem to have mastered the pluperfect tense, but are asking about the definition of "perfect," as in "past perfect."
From the dictionary, posted below is one of the definitions of "perfect." An obsolete meaning of "perfect" is "assured" or "certain," which certainly applies to an action in the past perfect tense. Although the action itself m
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"noting an action or state brought to a close prior to some temporal point of reference, in contrast to imperfect or incomplete action."
What is that temporal point of reference. Nobody told me of this, you are the first person. Thanks!
"how to use" from online english tutorial
Use 1: Completed Actions before something in the past.
e.g. I had neve
What is that temporal point of reference. Nobody told me of this, you are the first person. Thanks!
"how to use" from online english tutorial
Use 1: Completed Actions before something in the past.
e.g. I had neve
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pag161But I've never understood what it meant to be "perfect".In English grammar, "perfect" means composed of has, have, had or having and a past participle. There are so many different uses of grammatical structures called "perfect" that it is impossible to say with any precision what a perfect tense might mean in any given sentence.
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