Brad: My take on your examples is below. I do not profess to be an authority and cannot always give set-in-concrete reasons for my answers. What are your thoughts? And if others on the list wish to enter this conversation, I'm sure it would be helpful to me.

Thank you.

Martha

Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:50:02 -0700
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Perfects
To: [log in to unmask]

Martha, For your collection. CORRECT:  Japan has won the Women’s World Cup, stunning the United States 3-1 in a penalty shootout Sunday night after coming from behind twice in a 2-2 tie.
HAD IS NOT NEEDED:  They had a church ceremony followed by a reception at a rustic barn, the site she had chosen for her wedding when she was 12.
CORRECT:  Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke had not finished in the
 top 10 in a major in 10 years when he won the British Open on Sunday. (photo caption)
HAD BEEN IS CORRECT, BUT SECOND HAD NOT NECESSARY AND I WOULD HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO USE IT:  Even though Clarke won a tournament in Europe a few weeks ago, it had been 10 years since he had finished in the top ten in a major. (text) .br-had.19july11
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