New York Times archives. Published: August 18, 1993 

Frank R. Barnett, founder and president of the National Strategy Information Center of Washington and New York, died on Sunday at a Manhattan nursing home. He was 72 and lived in Manhattan.
 
The cause was heart failure, the center said, adding that he had had cancer. 
.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
 
If he "had" cancer, he had cancer at the time of his death.
 
If he "had had" cancer, he did not have cancer at the time of his death.
 
The past perfect is a device that changes meaning. Its proper use is never optional.
 
The example makes clear why the past tense is always the default.


 
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