Spanish speakers often overuse the past perfect because it feels like pluscuamperfecto. In English it is a sequencing tool, not a default past tense.
When you actually need it
| Situation | Tense | Example | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finished action | Past simple | I sent the deck yesterdaynEarlier past | Past perfect | I had already sent the deck when they askednHabit in the past | Used to / would | We used to review every Friday |
If both actions are in the past and the order is obvious, past simple is enough. Save past perfect for the moment you need to rewind.
