"had had" vs "hadnt had"

Question

"had had" vs "hadnt had"

The phrases "hadn't had" and "had had" are both correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Hadn't had" is the contraction of "had not had" and is used to express the absence of a past action. On the other hand, "had had" is the past perfect form of the verb "have" and is used to indicate an action that occurred before another action in the past.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

The phrase "had had" is the past perfect form of the verb "have" and is used to indicate an action that occurred before another action in the past. It is commonly used in both spoken and written English.

Examples:

She had had dinner before the movie started.
They had had a long day at work before the party.
He had had a lot of experience in the field before he started his own business.
I had had a similar situation happen to me before.
We had had a good conversation before the argument.

Alternatives:

had possessed
had experienced
had consumed
had taken
had received

The phrase "hadn't had" is the contraction of "had not had" and is used to express the absence of a past action. It is commonly used in both spoken and written English.

Examples:

I hadn't had breakfast before I left for work.
She hadn't had a chance to review the report before the meeting.
They hadn't had time to prepare for the presentation.
He hadn't had a chance to call his friend back.
We hadn't had a chance to discuss the details.

Alternatives:

had not had
did not have
had not possessed
had not experienced
had not consumed

Answer 1

had had

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

hadnt had

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"had had" vs "hadnt had"

had had

hadnt had

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