Double Words: Had Had--Past Perfect Tense

The video tutorial explains the grammatical construction 'had had', a form of the past perfect tense. It describes how perfect verb tense indicates completed actions and how 'had had' is formed using the past tense of 'have' and its past participle. Examples illustrate its use, and variations like adverb separation and contractions are discussed. The tutorial notes that 'had had' is uncommon and often semantically similar to simple past tense when context is clear.

What is the primary purpose of using the perfect verb tense in English?

• To show a completed action

• To indicate an ongoing action

• To describe a future event

• To express a hypothetical situation

In the 'had had' construction, what role does the first 'had' play?

• It acts as a main verb

• It is an adverb

• It is a conjunction

• It serves as an auxiliary verb

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the 'had had' construction?

• They have had dinner already.

• He has had a lot of work to do.

• She had had a great time at the party.

• I will have had enough sleep by morning.

What is a common feature of the 'had had' construction in sentences?

• It is frequently separated by an adverb

• It is often used in future tense

• It always appears at the beginning of a sentence

• It is used to express a wish

Why is the 'had had' construction not commonly used?

• It is only used in informal writing

• It is too complex to understand

• The difference between past perfect and simple past is often minimal

• It is grammatically incorrect