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Someone HELP!! I can't figure out how when to use the past tense and when to use "had." Like, she died. She had died. She's dead! WHO CARES!?!? SAT this weekend!! SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 07:06 pm: Edit

http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/grammar/tenses.html

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 07:07 pm: Edit

Past Perfect Tense
Past perfect tense describes an action that took place in the past before another past action. This tense is formed by using had with the past participle of the verb.
By the time the troops arrived, the war had ended.

Perfect Progressive Forms

Present Perfect Progressive
Present perfect progressive tense describes an action that began in the past, continues in the present, and may continue into the future. This tense is formed by using has/have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).
The CEO has been considering a transfer to the state of Texas where profits would be larger.

Past Perfect Progressive
Past perfect progressive tense describes a past, ongoing action that was completed before some other past action. This tense is formed by using had been and the present perfect of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).
Before the budget cuts, the students had been participating in many extracurricular activities.

By Tennizpro06 (Tennizpro06) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 07:52 pm: Edit

well.. specifically, whats the diff between simple and past perfect? for ex, in the sentence i said

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 09:44 pm: Edit

You use past perfect when it happened before something else in the past. "I had robbed the bank when I escaped."

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 09:53 pm: Edit

nice

By Tennizpro06 (Tennizpro06) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 10:31 pm: Edit

ohh..

By Ccbrigham (Ccbrigham) on Friday, October 10, 2003 - 04:12 am: Edit

Yes, but watch out-- for this test, the key words for past perfect are "before" and "after." And watch out for the present perfect, which is used for actions that started before the present, but continue-- "I have lived in Los Feliz since 1998" vs. "I live in Los Feliz since 1998" or "I lived in Los Feliz since 1998."