it had been nine years vs it has been nine years

The phrases are both correct, but they would be used in dissimilar contexts. 'It had been nine years' is used when referring to a past event or point in time, while 'It has been nine years' is used when referring to a period of time that started in the past and continues up to the present.

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Last updated: October 21, 2024 • 12917 views

This phrase is correct when referring to a past event or point in time.

"it had been nine years"

This phrase is used to indicate that a specific amount of time had passed up to a certain point in the past.

Examples:

It had been nine years since I last saw her.
By the time they met again, it had been nine years since their last encounter.

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 13, 2024

Dec 19, 2019 ... It had been nine years, but I sent my application in to be on summer staff in - you guessed it - arts & crafts! Even though I had been gone ...
Oct 20, 2020 ... So I decided to get refitted since it had been nine years. Many changes, including moving cleats and putting wedges on cleats. I've flat footed ...
Jul 22, 2024 ... It had been nine years since my last visit and I was curious to see what the store was up to. After a breakfast of steel cut oats with peach ...
It had been nine years since my last visit and the landscape had changed drastically. The constant calving of the glaciers filled Disko Bay with miniature ...
I don't remember ALL the details of buying my longarm machine (it had been nine years prior), but I definitely remember paying sales tax on it. I would have ...
Jan 9, 2018 ... By Jonathan Foiles Photo by Sebastián Hidalgo for The Chicago Reporter hen I met Anthony more than two years ago, it had been nine years ...
Dec 7, 2015 ... I was fairly nervous because it had been nine years since my last tattoo. I knew I was not going to back out; I just was not too sure of ...
Dec 7, 2021 ... It had been nine years since my last meal at Ducasse's gilded terrace on the Côte d'Azur, and I was overjoyed to be finally returning.
Feb 23, 2012 ... It had been nine years since I last sat astride a horse when I pulled myself onto Copper -- my trusty steed for 90 minutes -- at the Koli ...
Oct 16, 2019 ... It had been nine years since she had been in a car accident that had left her a quadriplegic, and I truly felt like I was writing an ...

Alternatives:

It was nine years ago
Nine years had passed
Nine years had gone by

This phrase is correct when referring to a period of time that started in the past and continues up to the present.

"it has been nine years"

This phrase is used to indicate that a specific amount of time has passed from a point in the past up to the present.

Examples:

It has been nine years since we moved to this city.
She has been working at the company for nine years.

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 13, 2024

Jul 5, 2023 ... It has been nine years since I began my career at The Bump, working on both print and online advertising. Seeing my name in the magazine for the first time was ...
May 5, 2024 ... It has been nine years since I won the title of Labour Queen in 2015, and I remember how happy I felt winning as it was my first crown.
Dec 19, 2023 ... It has been nine years since I watched Thelma & Louise for the first (and only) time. This rewatch was everything I needed. What absolute perfect artistry.
Nine years ago today a innocent life was lost, a beautiful baby boy was taken from us at the age of seven. I can't believe it has been nine years. Nine...
Oct 31, 2024 ... It has been nine years since I lost my one and only true love, my biggest supporter and my anchor in each and every storm. Cherish every single ...
It has been nine years since you left to join Bea and Estelle, Rue, and I still think about you every day and smile. Thank you for being a friend. MJL...
Oct 12, 2024 ... ... it has been NINE. YEARS. since we last read together (at Epilog, our graduation reading for our MFA)!!! And it has been ten years since we ...
It has been NINE years (tomorrow) since our wedding and guess what? I wouldn't trade a single day with Keith just to avoid pain some day potentially in the ...
Cristina Spinei (Pre-College '02; BM '06, MM '08, composition). Even though it has been nine years (!) since I graduated from Juilliard, I still find myself ...
Jun 25, 2019 ... It has been nine years since Toy Story 3 came out. That's insane! So the movie begins, nine years earlier. I actually don't know what year ...

Alternatives:

It is nine years now
Nine years have passed
Nine years have gone by

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it had been nine years vs it has been nine years

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