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i have been busy vs i had been busy

Both options are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'I have been busy' is used to talk about a recent period of busyness that may still be ongoing, while 'I had been busy' is used to refer to a past period of busyness that occurred before something else.
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Explained by Vince
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: October 06, 2024 • 15008 views

i have been busy

This phrase is correct and commonly used to talk about a recent period of busyness.

This phrase is used to indicate that you have been busy recently and may still be busy. It implies a connection between the past and the present.

Examples:

  • I have been busy preparing for the exam.
  • She has been busy working on her project all week.
  • Jan 26, 2018 ... I have been busy (lately/with no specification of time.).
  • Jan 28, 2011 ... "I have been busy for the whole day yesterday." vs. 2. "I had been busy for the whole day yesterday." Which sentence is grammatically ...
  • Dec 3, 2021 ... The correct answer is, ' I have been busy the last couple of days.' Why? We use the Present Perfect verb tense to describe an even that started ...
  • Jan 30, 2024 ... My WGN colleagues and I have been busy on a group of retirement pieces which will be airing in coming weeks. Here, the one and only--video ...
  • Sep 1, 2023 ... I have been busy building my collection of models and props. · r/bloodborne - The lady herself. The lady herself. more · r/bloodborne - Cosmic eye ...
  • Aug 21, 2022 ... Rachel & I have been busy helping our kids get ready for the new year of 2 in College, 1 in High School, and a New School for Oliver — It's ...
  • Jun 11, 2024 ... I have been busy IRL. So no run update yet. I'm in the midst of ... r/nuzlocke ...
  • Oct 8, 2024 ... aubreyfrymusic on October 8, 2024: "Back in 󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 I have been busy upgrading the studio and working on new material.
  • I have been busy getting music together but took some time off to speak to Brownstyle Magazine. I thoroughly enjoyed this interview.
  • Nov 4, 2023 ... Stacie Dobson and I have been busy working on high-protein, stretchy, melty, stringy, yummy plant-based cheese for over 3 years now.

Alternatives:

  • I am busy
  • I have been occupied

i had been busy

This phrase is correct and commonly used to refer to a past period of busyness that is no longer relevant.

This phrase is used to talk about a past period of busyness that has ended or is no longer important. It is often used in the context of explaining a situation or setting the background for something else.

Examples:

  • I had been busy all morning, so I couldn't answer your call.
  • She had been busy with her studies before she decided to take a break.
  • Jan 28, 2011 ... "I had been busy for the whole day yesterday." Which sentence is grammatically correct? I think according to the grammar rule, present perfect ...
  • Jun 5, 2021 ... Synonym for I had been busy @hermawanm572 I had been busy – you are reporting about a particular time I had been very busy between 8 o'clock ...
  • Feb 13, 2021 ... In the Before Times, I had been busy. Profoundly busy. I had gone to dinners and lunches. I would go to D.C. two or three times a month. I ...
  • I had been busy working on my next A Million book for the past few months. Can you guess which animal is coming next?...
  • Apr 26, 2024 ... I had been busy weathering the biggest storm of my life when this campaign went live. Look-I'm a girl from southside Jamaica queens, from the ...
  • Feb 17, 2024 ... Sorry for the gap between this post and the last post, I had been busy and this just slipped my mind over the past few days.
  • Sep 15, 2024 ... ... I had been busy planning a course on how to prescribe and manage hormone therapy. After spending several years treating women in ...
  • Aug 27, 2015 ... The piece of advice everyone seemed to give me was to reprioritize and to take time for myself. Up until a few months ago, I had been busy, but ...
  • Jun 21, 2013 ... However at the time I had been busy being a mom to three small children, full-time minister, and part-time student. I figured it was enough ...
  • While I had been busy browning the beef, he had been busy browning—in molasses—the sofa, the loveseat, the coffee table, the media stand, the remote control ...

Alternatives:

  • I was busy
  • I had been occupied

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