perfect tense

[Mayanair]

Hello,
I do like to know the usage of perfect tense. Instead of past perfect tense can I just use past tense for example: I had completed the work can I use I completed the work. What is the difference between them????
where am I supposed to use perfect tense, in which context?????
I have one more doubt. how should we write " to whomsoever it may concern" / " to whom so ever it may concern"/ " to whom soever it may consern" , Should we use any hyphen inbetween

[GUEST]

hello! past perfect and simple past tenses are totally different from each other.That is;both of them happen in the past but an event happens in past perfect before simple past,for example,I had done my homework,when my mother came home.It means first I did my homework,then my mother came home.Also we can't use simple past instead of present perfect because,in simple past there is no effect of the event going on,but in present perfect the event begins in the past and still goes on.

[GUEST]

and also'to whom it may concern'

[Mayanair]

Thanks for the reply still do u mean that past perfect cannot stand individually that it should come only before simple past

[naomimalan]

Originally Posted by GUEST

Also we can't use simple past instead of present perfect because,in simple past there is no effect of the event going on,but in present perfect the event begins in the past and still goes on.

Guest, I think you're confusing the present perfect (simple) with one (only) of the functions of the present perfect progressive/continous.

You could look it up in the grammar glossary: Search Results for 'present perfect' - UsingEnglish.com

[naomimalan]

Originally Posted by Mayanair

Hello,
I do like to know the usage of perfect tense. Instead of past perfect tense can I just use past tense for example: I had completed the work can I use I completed the work. What is the difference between them????
where am I supposed to use perfect tense, in which context?????

There is a very detailed thread on this: past perfect tense (English as a second language users) - the most recent contribution was on 10th May. You could consult it and then get back to us if you still have problems.