Past simple or past perfect?

[englishhobby]

Which of the two verb forms should be used here?

The Square is the historic center of the city. It had been/was a market place for several centuries. In the 20th century it got its modern look.

 

[emsr2d2]

Which one do you think should be used?

 

[teechar]

Is there a reason to capitalize "square" in that sentence?

 

[englishhobby]

Which one do you think should be used?

As there is no some point in the past before which the square was the market place, I would use the simple past (was).

 

[englishhobby]

Is there a reason to capitalize "square" in that sentence?

It can be any square, so there is no any special reason to capitalize it.

 

[Rover_KE]

A better title would have been It had been/was a market place.

'Thread titles should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.'

 

[Matthew Wai]

there is no some point in the past before which the square was the market place

I think the following is a point in the past.

​In the 20th century it got its modern look.

Is there a reason to capitalize "square" in that sentence?

'The Square' could be a name.

 

[MikeNewYork]

In Chicago, the main business district is called "the Loop". Normally, "Loop" is capitalized. I think the same logic could be applied to "Square".

 

[teechar]

I was trying to ascertain whether "square" was part of a proper noun. It appears that it wasn't. Therefore, it should not be capitalized in this instance. ;-)

 

[Matthew Wai]

It can be any square

I think the definite article would not have been used before it if it could be any square.

 

[emsr2d2]

The original sentence clearly refers to a specific square in whatever city is being written about. If "The Square" is the name of the square in that city, then it needs to be capitalised. If it's not the name of the square, then "The square" would be correct.

The OP's assertion that it could be "any square" doesn't make sense - it clearly refers to a particular square in a particular city.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I agree. That is why I brought up Chicago's Loop.

 

[Matthew Wai]

It seems that the main question in this thread, 'the past simple or the past perfect?', has yet to be answered.

The OP and I have expressed different opinions in post#4 and #7. Please tell us which is correct.

 

[englishhobby]

I think the definite article would not have been used before it if it could be any square.

Many city objects are used with a definite article even if they are not proper names: the bank, the post office, the park.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think 'the bank' and 'the park' refer to the particular ones previously mentioned, while 'the post office' refers to the department in charge of the post.

 

[emsr2d2]

The post office usually refers to a specific building.