Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[muni]

1)she has had a similiar episode of asthma before 2 years back
or
she also had a similiar episode of asthma before 2 years back


2)she has had similiar episodes before many times
or
she had similiar episodes before manytimes

[bud]

1) Using "has" in this type of construction implies a "relevancy" starting in the past and continuing to the present. It's not really appropraite for one occurence. Yes, it is still relevant, but it doesn't have a continuing nature. Also, your timing phrase is not good. Using "also" is optional. It helps emphasize the importance of the past occurrence:

She had a similiar episode of asthma two years ago. (You could say "two years back" - without "before" - in very casual situations, but not in a medical setting.)

2. Because the episodes started in the past and have continued to the present, "has had" is the correct choice. The only change is to your time phrase:

She has had similiar episodes many times before.

[muni]

so for (1) both "has had" and "had" can be used depending on the no. of episodes, if one episode in the past then "had" and if more than one in the past then "has had"

am I correct in this thinking??

[bud]

Well, that might be true, but you shoudn't think about it in that way. The important factors are that it started in the past and that it "coninues" at present. I put "continues" in quotes because I don't know how to define it well.

In your example, one episode of asthma two years ago does not have a continuity into the present. Several episodes do make a continuity because there could be another one tomorrow. Maybe someone who knows grammar well will chime in on this!

[muni]

I want to know when we use "had had" in a sentence
please explain with exampleand I am also not fully clear about has had

and if I have to say that........(1)she was on this medicine for the last 3 years and she stop taking it 1 month ago
or..............she had been on this medicine for the last.............

and
(2)she is on this medicine for the last 3 years
or..... she has been on this medicine for the last 3 years