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  #1 (permalink)  
Old 11-Jul-2007, 23:35
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Default breakfast

Have you had your breakfast? -- Is this good English?
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Old 11-Jul-2007, 23:37
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Default Re: breakfast

Perfect!
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Old 12-Jul-2007, 00:02
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Default Re: breakfast

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anglika View Post
Perfect!
I use this expression naturally but I just thought why we use "had" here. I learned that we use "had" when expressing two subsequent events and had is with the first thing that happened. Could you please explain?
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Old 12-Jul-2007, 03:18
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Default Re: breakfast

"Had" is used to form the past perfect, as you describe above.
He had already left home without an umbrella when it started to rain.

But - "had" is also used as verb all on its own; it's not always a "helping verb."

As in "I have three cats," or "I am having breakfast."

So "I have had breakfast already" means "I have eaten." No past perfect.

[not a teacher]
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