Had opened vs have opened

The phrases 'had opened' and 'have opened' are both correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Had opened' is used in the past perfect tense to indicate an action that occurred before another past action. 'Have opened' is used in the present perfect tense to indicate an action that started in the past and has relevance to the present.

Last updated: April 09, 2024 • 318 views

Had opened

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English in the past perfect tense.

Use 'had opened' in the past perfect tense to show an action that occurred before another past action. For example, 'By the time we arrived, she had opened the door.'

Examples:

She had opened the window before the storm hit.
By the time I got there, they had opened the presents.
He had opened the book and started reading when the phone rang.
The restaurant had opened before the pandemic struck.
They had opened the box and found a surprise inside.

Alternatives:

had been opened
had already opened
had previously opened
had opened up
had cracked open

have opened

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English in the present perfect tense.

Use 'have opened' in the present perfect tense to show an action that started in the past and has relevance to the present. For example, 'I have opened the package you sent.'

Examples:

I have opened the door for you.
She has opened a new business in town.
They have opened a new branch in the city.
He has opened his heart to her.
We have opened a discussion on the topic.

Show examples from the web [+]

1 Opening ceremony; 2 Records; 3 Dignitaries who have opened the Summer Olympics; 4 Dignitaries who have opened the Winter Olympics; 5 Dignitaries who have ...
Nov 17, 2021 ... Which states have opened COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all? Leaders from 17 states have moved to endorse booster shots for all adults.
"They have opened our mouths": increasing women's skills and motivation for sexual communication with young people in rural South Africa. AIDS Educ Prev.
Aug 27, 2020 ... Governors Island: Four new restaurants have opened their doors on Governors Island this summer, including outposts of Bronx jerk chicken ...
Which sentence is better? I'd say both are correct, but I'm not sure. Since then over 25000 restaurants have been opened or have opened...

Alternatives:

have been opened
have already opened
have previously opened
have opened up
have cracked open

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