"I have been asked to" vs "I had been asked to"

Question

"I have been asked to" vs "I had been asked to"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'I have been asked to' is used to talk about a recent request or task, while 'I had been asked to' is used to refer to a past request or task. The choice between them depends on the timeframe you are referring to.

Last Updated: March 24, 2024

Use 'I have been asked to' when referring to a request or task that has been given to you recently. It indicates a connection between the past and the present.

Examples:

I have been asked to prepare a report for the meeting tomorrow.
She has been asked to attend the conference next week.
Have you been asked to help with the event on Saturday?
He has been asked to lead the project team.
They have been asked to provide feedback on the new product.

Alternatives:

I was asked to
I am asked to
I get asked to
I get requested to
I receive requests to

Use 'I had been asked to' when talking about a request or task that was given to you in the past. It indicates that the request occurred before a specific point in time.

Examples:

I had been asked to submit the report by last Friday.
She had been asked to present at the conference last month.
Had you been asked to assist with the project before?
He had been asked to join the committee a year ago.
They had been asked to review the proposal before the meeting.

Alternatives:

I was asked to
I used to be asked to
I used to get asked to
I used to receive requests to
I had received requests to

Answer 1

I have been asked to

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to talk about a recent request or task.

Answer 2

I had been asked to

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to a past request or task.

"I have been asked to" vs "I had been asked to"

I have been asked to

I had been asked to

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