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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 • 17520 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.
  • 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

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.
  • 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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