Post B17dffER6XfbMPvqMK by blueemu@shakedown.social
(DIR) More posts by blueemu@shakedown.social
(DIR) Post #B17bIGWAcmcc8uwSgq by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-12-11T00:05:54Z
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A friend of mine who has learned English in the past 8 years or so asked me to please explain what "had had" meant and what "have had" was. I could not. "You can mostly just ... say something else. It's horrible."She found a helpful youTube video, don't worry.
(DIR) Post #B17cIZDdC87S64yhc0 by Sharksonaplane@mastodon.sandwich.net
2025-12-11T00:17:07Z
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@futurebird lol I don't blame you, perfect tenses can be hard to explain!
(DIR) Post #B17cOoaix9XXVll6ps by dlakelan@mastodon.sdf.org
2025-12-11T00:18:14Z
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@futurebirdSo you had had enough of had had? Now you have had enough of this post too.
(DIR) Post #B17cSA65S2ch4z1ZxY by boxofsnoo@social.linux.pizza
2025-12-11T00:18:53Z
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@futurebird you would have had to have had lots of experience with the language. đ
(DIR) Post #B17dffER6XfbMPvqMK by blueemu@shakedown.social
2025-12-11T00:32:33Z
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@futurebird This is what happens when you put three languages in a trenchcoat.
(DIR) Post #B17driv9DOgoHCf08u by tobiaspatton@cosocial.ca
2025-12-11T00:29:48Z
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@CppGuy @futurebird This s a great explanation. English is a bit unusual in that auxilliary verbs ("had", âbeen", "wasâ, etc.) are habitually used to modify the tense of the main verb. Most other language modify the main verb to indicate tenses like pluperfect and imperfect.
(DIR) Post #B17drjxfLWIXVIqWhs by tobiaspatton@cosocial.ca
2025-12-11T00:30:31Z
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@CppGuy @futurebird Fun fact! English only has two grammatical verb tenses: simple past, and simple present. I.e. âI walked" and âI walk". Every other verb tense is constructed from one or more auxiliaries, or inferred from context, e.g. in âtomorrow I walk to Biloxi", the walking happens in the future and has the same meaning "tomorrow I will walk to Biloxiâ
(DIR) Post #B17drlKOGW4Nk4UBlY by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-12-11T00:34:42Z
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@tobiaspatton @CppGuy Sitting and thinking about things like:"It had've been"and"It hadn't have bent"Which people say all the time but are probably cursed.
(DIR) Post #B17dyXdNZoodIabHfs by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-12-11T00:35:57Z
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@tobiaspatton @CppGuy "It hadn't have *been*" ??Are you British???
(DIR) Post #B17iH2Jqd3rzUnXUhM by johnleonard@mastodon.social
2025-12-11T01:24:06Z
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@futurebird @tobiaspatton @CppGuy This has stuck with me since childhood. Smith where Jones had had had had had had had. Had had had had the examiner's approval.Yes I am British.
(DIR) Post #B17lCM3w60wR8wYWg4 by Susan60@aus.social
2025-12-11T01:56:51Z
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@futurebird I think this is where non-native speaking English teachers can be better the native English speakers like me. They might have a few issues of their own around prepositions for example, but have learnt grammar more explicitly than us native speakers. Iâm currently teaching verb tenses & am a bit out of practice so itâs hard! (Sheâs getting lessons at bargain prices so itâs all good.)
(DIR) Post #B183BEVCW9pka4vJiK by VulcanTourist@autistics.life
2025-12-11T05:18:20Z
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@futurebird Never once has "had had" left my fingers or lips.
(DIR) Post #B187Lvza4rECAvUYL2 by Tooden@aus.social
2025-12-11T06:05:05Z
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@futurebird Seriously, if you had had the words it would have been difficult.đ English is a proper bastard of a language to learn. It trips up native speakers, obviously.
(DIR) Post #B187jupO3fchVv9uOe by BarneyDellar@mastodon.scot
2025-12-11T06:09:27Z
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@futurebird Have you come across âJames while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacherâ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_while_John_had_had_had_had_had_had_had_had_had_had_had_a_better_effect_on_the_teacher
(DIR) Post #B18cO1FuZn6VepbXJQ by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-12-11T11:52:53Z
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@CppGuy @tobiaspatton I hear both of those in spoken English from people in NYC all the time. To the extent that "It hadn't have been" or "It wouldn't have been" sound over-formally incorrect. I wonder if it'll ever trickle into written English.
(DIR) Post #B193rzinXfDOLjdLg8 by lffontenelle@mastodon.social
2025-12-11T17:00:48Z
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@futurebird In Portuguese we can have two "haves" in a row like that, but fortunately we don't use it nearly as much to create perfect tenses