[Grammar] When to use had in sentences?

[9pointer]

I always get confuse with usage of had. Due to this i use to make many mistakes. For instance:

Her mother had died in 1989.(I think correct sentence is Her mother died in 1989.)

I had stopped writing letter to her for 2 years/I have stopped writing letter to her for 2 years.( Which one is correct)

It had been raining while i watched that movie yesterday evening.( Is this correct)

She had had car when she was 21 year old / she has had this car since she was 21 year old( Which one is correct)

In all sentences mentioned above i find myself very confused and that's why i am unable to use had in correct way.

Kindly help me to learn it in better way.

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

Not a teacher nor a native speaker.

Well, I think you don't understand the past perfect. :-o

We use the past perfect tense when we're talking about past events. Moreover, the past perfect indicates that one event happened earlier than another one. "They knew how to contact with him because they had had his phone number".

 

[Matthew Wai]

They knew how to contact with him

My dictionaries say "contact somebody" instead of "contact with somebody".

Not a teacher.

they had had his phone number

Is it better to say "had got"?

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

Both are correct, but I just showed how to use the past perfect. :-D

 

[9pointer]

I am sorry but my questions hasn't been answered. I've asked correct options out of different sentences posted and reasons if possible.

Moreover, i don't understand what is wrong with She had had car when she was 21 year old.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Why not simply say "She bought a car when she was 21 years old"?

Not a teacher.

 

[Raymott]

I am sorry but my questions hasn't been answered. I've asked correct options out of different sentences posted and reasons if possible.

None of your sentences are either right of wrong without some context.
That is, in a certain context they would be right, and in another context, they would be wrong. You need to learn about the past perfect tense. Here are some places you can do that:

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/past_perfect_diagram.htm (6 pages)
http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-lesson-past-perfect.php (several pages)
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/verbs/past-tense/past-perfect

Here is a page that describes the past perfect in Hindi (and English). It might ease you into it:
http://www.learning-hindi.com/post/6664614114/lesson-118-the-past-perfect-tense

 

[Barb_D]

Moreover, i don't understand what is wrong with She had had car when she was 21 year old.

In addition to the tense, "car" is countable. She had a car.
And "year" is also countable. "21 years old."
(And remember that the pronoun I is always capitalized.)