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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 • 17391 views

I have told

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

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.
  • I have told you everything relevant about Nelvana lll.
  • I have told you the truth, always.
  • You should not repeat what I have told you.
  • Taffy, I have told you jumping rope within 10 feet of me.
  • Please, ma chérie, I have told you.
  • Tamra, I have told you a million times, my eyes photograph blue.
  • I have told you all in order.
  • You will recognize that I have told the truth.
  • I have told you it's in the briefcase connected to his arm.
  • I have told you five million times, I phoned Herb.
  • I am your sister and I have told you every excruciating detail of my failed marriage.
  • I have told you where we advertise.
  • I have told them you are here.
  • I have told you my decision.
  • And I have told Richard Come eat at the Landing.
  • I have told you the truth.
  • I have told Your Excellency, no.
  • No more than I have told them at bedtime.
  • Since I have told you everything, aware of my responsibilities, and facing all the consequences...
  • I have told no one of your plans.

Alternatives:

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

I had told

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

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.
  • I had told to one of my parishioners to bring some brochure from Medjugorje.
  • I had told them to go out into the woods to gather leaves.
  • If I had told you sooner, maybe it wouldn't have been so much of a shock.
  • If I had told you, you would have had to fake it.
  • If I had told you to start a revolution, you wouldn't have understood me.
  • You asked me once... if I had told you everything there was to know about my adventures.
  • Even if I had told you, you wouldn't have listened.
  • No, if I had told you, you would have had me benched.
  • If I had told you what Selina and I had planned, you would have stopped me.
  • If I had told you to get lost, I'm sure you would've just stuck to me again.
  • What I had told you about the complexity of these beings has proven true. We humans seem to have the most complex structure of consciousness and I think this is because of many incarnations.
  • I then had him tell of his experience and my co-workers, to whom I had told the story, heard the same story from him that I had told them.
  • He thought that I had told my friends.
  • And I thought I had told you this last week.
  • I had told you to wait for Lupacchioli.
  • I had told him... that my grandfather was a fisherman.
  • I wish I had told you earlier what was going on.
  • The thing is, if I had told you the truth about my conviction...
  • If I had told him about the letter...
  • If only I had told her if Nicklas from the beginning...

Alternatives:

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

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