1) Can you pls explain the meaning and diffencences in these following:
I had to go.
I had had to go.
I had to change school.
I had had to change school.
2) In what situation that 'had had' should be used?
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
Hello, Tomolonight.
(1) Don't feel bad about having trouble in understanding the difference between the past and the past perfect.
(2) Sometimes native speakers do not use the past perfect when they are supposed to, and they just use the past.
(3) Please remember: the past perfect refers to something that happened BEFORE something else happened.
I arrived at the party at 10 p.m. I did not see Sue. Someone told me
she HAD LEFT at 9:30. (She did something -- leave at 9:30 -- BEFORE
I did something -- arrive at 10 p.m.) Yes, some native speakers say:
Somebody told me she LEFT at 9:50. (That is not considered "correct" English, but everyone understands.)
(4) I think that emsr has given you an excellent example. If you study his example, I think that you will understand the difference.
(5) I know that it is difficult to understand the difference between "had" and "had had."
(6) Study emsr's example and this one:
(a) It is the month of June.
(b) I am now studying at X School.
(c) I HAD to leave Y School in May because I HAD HAD a problem with one
of my teachers in April.
(i) the problem came BEFORE I left. So "good" English calls for the
past perfect. (Yes, some native speakers would say: because I HAD a
problem with one of my teachers in April. And everyone would
understand. But you are a learner, so it is a good idea to learn "correct"
English.)
(7) If you still do not understand this matter, please keep posting until
you are satisifed that you understand.
***** Thank you *****