"I have checked" vs "I had checked"

Question

"I have checked" vs "I had checked"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'I have checked' is used to talk about a completed action in the present or recent past, while 'I had checked' is used to refer to a completed action in the past before another past action. The choice between them depends on the timeline of the events being described.

Last Updated: March 28, 2024

Use this phrase, which is in the present perfect, to explain that you have confirmed, looked for, or investigated something.

Explanation provided by a TextRanch English expert

Some examples from our editors:

I have checked my account, and I still don't see the transaction.
I have checked with my mother, and it seems that we will be unable to join you for supper.

Some alternatives from our editors:

I checked
I have looked
I have verified

Use 'I had checked' when you want to refer to an action that was completed in the past before another past action took place. It is often used in past perfect tense constructions.

Examples:

I had checked the settings before the meeting started.
She realized she had checked the wrong box on the form.

Alternatives:

I had already checked
I had looked into it
I had verified
I had examined
I had reviewed

Answer 1

I have checked

This is correct

Answer 2

I had checked

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a completed action in the past before another past action.

"I have checked" vs "I had checked"

I have checked

I had checked

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