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What's the difference between simple past and present prefect? I quite have a doubt with the below statements. Do they convey the same meaning?

English Language & Usage Asked by tans on March 7, 2021

Do these two convey the same meaning? And if not, what’s the difference?

  1. Judy had visited Thailand in 2014
  2. Judy visited Thailand in 2014

One Answer

Past perfect is not used in single simple sentences. Since it refers intrinsically to a second past time, prior to some other past event, a clause using the past perfect construction must have some other close clause or sentence to refer to.

Consequently,

  • Judy had visited Thailand in 2014

all by itself, is a very strange sentence. Why did the speaker use past perfect? What else happened later?

The past perfect pops up in narratives to place events in sequence:

  • Judy had visited Thailand in 2014, but when she returned last year she found a lot of changes.

But it doesn't occur by itself.

Correct answer by John Lawler on March 7, 2021

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