Summary

The article provides guidance on when to use the past perfect tense (had + verb) versus the simple past tense in writing, emphasizing the importance of using the past perfect to describe an action completed before another past action.

Abstract

The article, titled "Self-Editing Tip #13: Are you a Heavy-Handed Mad Hadder?" addresses a common issue in writing submissions: the overuse of the past perfect tense. The author, Marilyn Flower, explains that the past perfect tense is necessary when referring to an earlier past event in relation to a later past event. However, she often finds it misused or overused in submissions and advises writers to use the simple past tense when the sequence of events is clear. The past perfect tense, also known as the plus perfect tense, should be reserved for situations where it is essential to clarify the order of past events. The author provides examples to illustrate the correct use of the past perfect tense and suggests that writers read their sentences aloud to discern the proper tense. The article aims to help writers, especially those for whom English is not a first language, to refine their use of past tenses and avoid unnecessary complexity in their writing.

Opinions

The author suggests that excessive use of the past perfect tense can negatively impact writing clarity, likening it to the whimsical excesses of the Mad Hatter from "Alice in Wonderland."
Marilyn Flower emphasizes that the decision to use the past perfect tense is often based on what "sounds right," indicating the importance of developing an ear for grammatical correctness.
The author provides a rule of thumb for using the past perfect tense: it should be used for the earlier of two past events, with the simple past tense used for the later event.
The article encourages writers to practice reading sentences aloud to help determine the correct tense, suggesting that this practice can train one's ear for grammatical nuances.
The author acknowledges that while grammatical rules can guide non-native English speakers, the ultimate test for tense usage is often how it sounds to a trained ear.

Self-Editing Tip #13: Are you a Heavy-Handed Mad Hadder?

When to use had + verb and when to use simple past tense.

Are you a heavy-handed Mad Hadder?

Remember the Mad Hadder from Alice in Wonderland?

Too much sniffing glue while sticking in those extra hads will make even the best of writers go a little mad.

So if this is you, put down the glue and listen up!

This had + verb construction shows up a lot in Middle-Pause submissions. As an editor, I often find myself deleting unnecessary hads, and replacing them with simple past tense.

For example, instead of:

We had gone to the store that day,

I offer:

We went to the store.

How do I know when to nix the had + verb format and when to keep it?

Mostly by how it sounds.

Meaning, my ear’s trained to hear when something’s grammatically off.

Hopefully.

But isn’t there a rule or guideline for those of us whose ears aren’t that well-trained? Or for whom English is not our first language?

There has to be.

So I looked it up.

The had + verb construction is called the past perfect tense. Or, if you want to be fancy, the plus perfect. Putting it in italics makes it even fancier, don’t you think?

So here’s what Everything Language and Grammer says:

“The past perfect is used when two events happened in the past, with one past action having occurred even before the other past action. To form the past perfect, use had and the past participle of a verb in one part of the sentence. Often, the regular past tense is used in the other part of the sentence.”

Use the had + verb for the earlier of the two events.

For example:

Marilyn had changed many a past perfect sentence to simple past tense before she ever wrote a post about when and why to do so.

The had changed came first. I had or I’d changed many a sentence before even thinking about, let alone writing, the post. So when we get to she wrote, that happened after the changed. So simple past tense is all I need there.

Let’s try another one, less tongue in cheek:

Debbie had lost over 70 pounds before she wrote her story about weight loss.

Way to go, Debbie!

She lost the weight first before she wrote about it. So it’s had lost before she wrote.

When in doubt, try reading your sentence out loud both ways.

Eventually, you’ll get to where it just sounds right and you know it.

Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter in the Alice in Wonderland movie. Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash

Until then, please use this rule of thumb, all you heavy-handed Mad Hadders!

Marilyn Flower’s a sacred fool who writes every day — fiction, poetry, and blogs — inspired by a process called SoulCollage®. She’s the author of Creative Blogging and Bucket Listers: Get Your Brave On. Follow her Sacred Foolishness or SoulCollage® for Writers, and Stay in touch!