"i started" vs "i had started"

Question

"i started" vs "i had started"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'I started' is used to indicate the beginning of an action or activity in the past, while 'I had started' is used to show that an action had already begun before another past action or time. They are not directly comparable as they serve different purposes.

Last Updated: March 22, 2024

This phrase is used to describe the initiation of an action or activity in the past. It is simple past tense and does not imply any specific time frame.

Examples:

I started my homework as soon as I got home.
She started learning Spanish last year.
We started the project together.
He started running in the morning.
They started the meeting without me.

Alternatives:

I began
I initiated
I kicked off
I commenced
I launched

This phrase is used to show that an action had already begun before another past action or time. It is past perfect tense and indicates a sequence of events in the past.

Examples:

I had started cooking when the guests arrived.
She had started working on the project before the deadline.
We had started the game before it started raining.
He had started reading the book before the movie came out.
They had started the presentation when the power went out.

Alternatives:

I had begun
I had initiated
I had kicked off
I had commenced
I had launched

Answer 1

i started

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate the beginning of an action or activity in the past.

Answer 2

i had started

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that an action had already begun before another past action or time.

"i started" vs "i had started"

i started

i had started

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