"I had told" vs "I have told"

Question

"I had told" vs "I have told"

The phrases "I have told" and "I had told" are both correct, but they are used in different contexts. "I have told" is used to indicate a recent action or a connection to the present, while "I had told" is used to refer to a past action that occurred before another past event. Therefore, the choice between the two depends on the specific timeline of events being described.

Last Updated: March 19, 2024

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.

Alternatives:

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

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.

Alternatives:

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

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

"I had told" vs "I have told"

I had told

I have told

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