In English, the choice between the simple past tense and the past perfect tense can be tricky, especially for learners. This article explains why the sentence ‘The Heian period started in 794’ uses the simple past tense instead of ‘had started.’
Understanding Simple Past vs. Past Perfect
The simple past tense is used to describe an event that happened at a specific time in the past, with no reference to another event. For example, ‘The Heian period started in 794’ simply states the fact that the event happened at that particular time, without any relation to another past event.
On the other hand, the past perfect tense (‘had started’) is used to describe an event that happened before another event in the past. This is typically used when there are two past events to be compared, and one happened before the other.
Why ‘Had Started’ is Not Needed Here
In the sentence ‘The Heian period started in 794’, there is no need to show a sequence of two past events. The sentence is just giving a historical fact, so the simple past tense (‘started’) is enough. Using ‘had started’ would suggest that the event occurred before another event in the past, but since no such event is mentioned, the past perfect tense is unnecessary.
If the sentence were part of a larger context where a sequence of past events is mentioned, then ‘had started’ might be used. For example: ‘The Heian period had started in 794 before the first emperor ascended the throne.’ In this case, ‘had started’ indicates that the Heian period began earlier than the emperor’s ascension.
When to Use Past Perfect
Past perfect is useful when you need to clarify that one event happened before another in the past. For example, ‘I had already eaten by the time she arrived.’ This sentence emphasizes that the eating happened first, and then the arrival occurred later.
In history writing or narration, you might use past perfect if you’re comparing two significant events. For example: ‘The Edo period had ended before the Meiji Restoration began.’
Conclusion: Simple Past vs. Past Perfect
In short, ‘The Heian period started in 794’ uses the simple past tense because it’s stating a singular event that happened at a specific time in history, with no need for the past perfect tense. Understanding when to use the simple past and when to use past perfect comes down to whether you need to show the sequence of events or not.
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