"had had" or "had"? which is correct in this context? Hi friends, "had had" or "had"? which is correct in the following context? should it be "the English language" or "English language" ? 1) We s

Niwantha

"had had" or "had"? which is correct in this context? Hi friends, "had had" or "had"? which is correct in the following context? should it be "the English language" or "English language" ? 1) We started today’s lesson discussing some questions that I had about the English language. 2) We started today’s lesson discussing some questions that I had had about the English language. Thanks in advance! Niwantha

Oct 19, 2018 5:31 AM

Answers · 7

Use "had" to refer to questions that you had at the time the lesson started. Use "had had" to refer to questions that you had had before the lesson started. In practice, you can consider the same set of questions as being present both when and before the lesson started - and so choose either option. But you might want to make a distinction in certain circumstances.

October 19, 2018

As Michael Chambers indicated, it depends on the intended time reference. Here's a different example. My sister didn't go to work today because she had a flu. (= She was sick with a flu at the time that she didn't go to work.) My sister didn't go to work today because she had had a flu and was still recovering. (= She was no long sick with a flu at the time that she didn't go to work.)

October 19, 2018

#1 is a perfect sentence.

October 19, 2018

"English language' or "the English language" it depends how the surrounding context of the sentence is constructed and the whole context of the discussion or topic.

October 19, 2018