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I have told vs I had told

The phrases are both correct, but they're used in different contexts. "I have told" is used to indicate a recent action or a connection to the present, while "I had told" refers to a past action that occurred before another past event. Therefore, the choice between the two phrases depends on the specific timeline of events being described.
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Explained by Miss E.
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: September 21, 2024 • 17898 views

The phrase "I have told" is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a recent action or a connection to the present.

"I have told "

Use "I have told" when you want to express that you have given information or communicated something recently or that the action has relevance to the present moment.

Examples:

  • I have told him about the meeting tomorrow.
  • She has told me the news already.
  • Sep 11, 2017 ...I have told you” (present perfect) means I told you before now, the present moment. “Why are you doing that? I've told you lots of times not to ...
  • I have told a number of people about your company and I hope to experience Kenya in the future. Thank you for give us a trip of a lifetime. I would like to ...
  • Aug 27, 2024 ... Not every army has one. In every single tournament game I have ever played, my opponent and I have told each other about possible gotchas. 40K ...
  • 7 days ago ... Advice |. Miss Manners: Should I have told a stranger I could see her underwear? Plus: She spends a lot of time talking about my disability, ...
  • Mar 18, 2024 ... How could I have told he was deaf? Theory Revision / Questions. r/LearnerDriverUK ...
  • Question. Should I have told my partner? 30 January 2023. Related: All topics, Disclosure, HIV transmission, Sero different couples. I Have been living with ...
  • Feb 26, 2018 ... e.g., I have told you already. I wonder how you forgot! (The message was conveyed in the past but once or may be a few times.) But usage of Have ...
  • May 14, 2018 ... I have told many people along the campaign trail that the motivating force for my run for Congress was my concern for the next generation ...
  • Jan 29, 2014 ... I told him while suggests that you warned him as he was hiking. I have told him suggests a different timing, that your warning is relevant ...
  • Nov 1, 2019 ... Carolyn Hax: Should I have told a boor at the hair salon to go soak her head? 1942. Perspective by Carolyn Hax. November 1, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. ...

Alternatives:

  • I told
  • I have informed
  • I have shared
  • I have communicated
  • I have passed on

The phrase "I had told" is correct and commonly used in English to refer to a past action that occurred before another past event.

"I had told"

Use "I had told" when you want to indicate that you had given information or communicated something before a specific point in the past or before another past action.

Examples:

  • I had told her about the changes, but she forgot.
  • He had told me he would come, but he didn't show up.
  • Mar 7, 2024 ... The sequel to the book that broke everyone's hearts. If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin was a book I had high expectations for, ...
  • Feb 7, 2024 ... I would definitely recommend reading the first book first. I've peeked at the first chapter of If Only I Had Told Her, and I think it would be confusing.
  • Feb 6, 2024 ... Told through three different perspectives, If Only I Had Told Her is a love story brimming with truth, tragedy, and unexpected bonds that heal us.
  • Mar 5, 2024 ... It was published around 2009 while if only I had told her was published this year. While it isn't officially a series, there are some spoilers ...
  • Aug 16, 2017 ... You use “I had told you” to refer to something that happened before another incident in question. For example, I am complaining that the ...
  • Sep 27, 2024 ... If I had told my 16-year-old self that one day she would walk into the United Nations to attend a meeting about health equity—something I am ...
  • Jul 30, 2024 ... 3743 likes, 232 comments - sb_skooly on July 30, 2024: "I Had Told N%%%s How I Was Gonna Be Coming Roun' dis Time…
  • Feb 29, 2024 ... I read the sequel to “If He Had Been With Me,” titled “If Only I Had Told Her” by Laura Nowlin. You can listen to the audio version of this book here.
  • Sep 5, 2015 ... I'm familiar with this sentence "I told you." Can i say with the same reference "I had told you." If not, could you please suggest me where ...
  • Mar 27, 2024 ... Finn's best friend, Jack, and the love of his life, Autumn, move on after he's gone. Read my full review for If Only I Had Told Her below!

Alternatives:

  • I had informed
  • I had shared
  • I had communicated
  • I had passed on

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