The phrase "but had" is a grammatically correct part of a written sentence in English. It is used to express contrast between two ideas. For example: He wanted to go to the beach, but had to stay home and finish his homework.

Jan 8, 2025 · Form a question in the past perfect tense by beginning the sentence with had and placing the subject between it and the past participle (e.g., “Had you seen it?”). Here, we’ll cover what you need to know about how the past perfect operates and …

There's no special magic with " had had ", they don't really go together as a pair anymore than " had wanted " go together. So don't worry so much about how to use " had had " as a unit of grammar, they will come together naturally when you want to express the verb ' to have ' …

Apr 19, 2024 · When should you use “have” or “had”? When is it correct to use have, has, or had? Phrased differently, what’s the past tense of have? Let’s go ahead and have a look at the answers. What does “have” mean? To define the word, when you have something, this means you “own, hold or possess something”.

Feb 25, 2024 · Are you struggling with the correct usage of “has,” “have,” and “had” in English grammar? You’re not alone. These three words can be quite confusing, but mastering their usage is essential for speaking and writing in English with accuracy and fluency.

Mar 12, 2019 · To form the past perfect, use had and the past participle of a verb in one part of the sentence. Often, the regular past tense is used in the other part of the sentence. Sally had agreed to wait in the pumpkin patch with Linus before she realized that there was no such thing as the Great Pumpkin.

It is a way of saying that something had happened in what not only is now the past and is no longer happening, but also was the past relative to the time about which the speaker or writer is discoursing and was no longer happening.

May 24, 2021 · But as strange as this sentence might sound, it is actually grammatically correct. The sentence relies on a double use of the past perfect. The two instances of “had had” play different grammatical roles in the sentences—the first is a modifier while the second is the main verb of the sentence.

With the past perfect, it’s possible to have the structure “had had” and “hadn’t had” in a sentence, when “had” is both the auxiliary verb and the main verb. In these cases, it’s very common to use the short form: ‘d had.

Jan 27, 2013 · Today, one would usually say "If I had only . . ." or "Had I only . . . Using any of these puts you in a subjunctive, not-true situation: If I had only looked before crossing the street, I wouldn't be in the hospital now.