Choosing Between ‘She Has Written’ and ‘She Had Written’

When it comes to English tenses, understanding the nuances between she has written and she had written can be quite essential. Both sentences serve different grammatical functions and are used in various contexts. This article will help clarify when to use each, ensuring your writing is both grammatically correct and contextually appropriate.

Understanding the Present Perfect Tense

She has written is in the present perfect tense. This construction is used to describe an action that happened in the past, but the results of that action are still relevant to the present. The present perfect tense doesn’t specify when the action occurred, only that it is related to the current moment.

Examples of Present Perfect Tense

She has written to her senator many times but has received no answer. - This sentence implies that the writer has written multiple letters to the senator at various times in the past, and the present consequence is that no response has been received. I have taken tea a little ago. I don't need it again now. - This statement suggests that the action of taking tea occurred some time in the past, and now it's no longer needed.

Understanding the Past Perfect Tense

She had written, on the other hand, is in the past perfect tense. It is used to indicate that an action was completed before another action in the past. The past perfect tense is formed using had plus the past participle of the verb.

Examples of Past Perfect Tense

She had written to her previous senator but he also never answered her. - This sentence implies that the action of writing to the previous senator was completed before the current situation—in this case, receiving no response. He had booked the ticket before he started his journey. - The action of booking the ticket was completed before the journey began. He had taken wrong medicines before he died. - Taking the wrong medicines happened at a point in the past, before the event of his death.

Contextual Usage and Grammar Review

Both she has written and she had written are correct in their own right, although they convey different meanings and are used in different contexts. The choice between them depends on the situation or the timeline of the events you are describing.

Example Contextual Usage

Present Perfect Tense: If a writer wants to discuss continuous communication over a period of time leading up to the present, she has written is used. For instance:

She has written to her senator many times but has received no answer.

Past Perfect Tense: If the writer is emphasizing that one action in the past completed before another past action, she had written is used. For example:

She had written to her previous senator but he also never answered her.

Further Reading and Resources

For more detailed information on English tenses, you may visit the following resources:

How Many Tenses Are There in English? - Learn about the various tenses of English and their usage. Which Tense of English Is Used Most? - Discover the most commonly used tenses in English and when to use them.

By understanding the correct usage of these tenses, you can effectively communicate the timing and relevance of past actions in your writing. Whether you choose she has written or she had written, the key is to ensure that the tense aligns with the context and emphasizes the specific chronology of events.