Geoff wrote, So I was right that this was wrong but for the wrong reason - I <hadn't thought> didn't thinkof that!
On the list or 'had' errors, 'had-for-did' is the fourth most frequent, after (1) 'had' in front of a past tense verb, (2) 'had been' where 'was' or 'were' belong, and (3) 'had' in front of an irregular past tense verb. 'Had-for-did' is a scrap, but a noticeable scrap. The bulk of the intruding 'had's put 'had' in front of regular and irregular past tense verbs, and that happens a lot.
My standard test is the first 21 pages of a novel. I note all the 'had's and that will be 50, 60, 80, 100 total. I subtract the correct usages of the past tense of 'have', and the past perfect, and the subjunctive. The error percentage thus derived runs from 45% to 90% (believe it or not).
I recently started a novel in which there are 166 'had's in the first 21 pages (a record) and the error rate is 77% (not a record). I wrote to the author and told him there are too many grammar errors for me to continue. He wrote back saying "Thank you very much. I'll talk to my copy editor about it". Authors tend to be defensive. Copy editors tend to be either defensive or dismissive, saying it's not their job. They make sure Pearl Harbor Day does not show as the 7th of January but otherwise the author can write whatever he or she wants to write.
James Patterson made $32 million in royalties in a recent year. Imagine a copy editor with enough of a death-wish to be willing to say, "Excuse me, Mr. Patterson, Sir, but you have a 'had' problem". Think that will ever happen? Not likely, is it?
.br.had.26july11.
~~~~~~~~
From:Geoffrey Layton <[log in to unmask]>
To:[log in to unmask]
Sent:Monday, July 25, 2011 7:51 PM
Subject:Re: intruding 'had's
So I was right that this was wrong but for the wrong reason - I hadn't thought of that!
Geoff Layton
________________________________
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:46:07 -0700
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: intruding 'had's
To: [log in to unmask]
But you didn't run into a past perfect in the sample below. You ran into a 'had' in front of a past tense verb, which is an unfortunately common occurrence, even among professionals. There are otherwise-well-meaning people who insist on putting 'had's in front of past tense verbs, even irregular past tense verbs, which forces the irregular past participle, making them a tad harder to detect.
But thank you for thinking of me.
.brad.25july11.
________________________________
From: Geoffrey Layton <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2011 2:27 PM
Subject: Re: intruding 'had's
Brad,
When I read this, I immediately thought of you (as I do whenever I run into the past perfect)
As it happens, a team of animal behaviorists led by Jenny Ryon at Dalhousie
University had explored this very question of canine's penchant for perfume in 1986. Their study
wasn't with dogs—to the best of my knowledge, no controlled studies on
scent-rubbing with domesticated dogs have ever been done—but with a very close
relative instead: the wolf (Canis lupus).
Any comments?
>
.
.
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