since I last have gone/ went

It had been a long time since I last went on a strict exercise regimen.

It had been a long time since I last had gone on a strict exercise regimen.


Does the meaning of sentence change depending on whether I use simple past or past perfect in a sentence like above?

Could anyone please explain the difference in meaning, if there is any?

rainous said:

It had been a long time since I last went on a strict exercise regimen.

It had been a long time since I last had gone on a strict exercise regimen.


Does the meaning of sentence change depending on whether I use simple past or past perfect in a sentence like above?

Could anyone please explain the difference in meaning, if there is any?

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The difference in meaning comes from the tense used in the first half of the sentence, not the second:

It has been a long time since I went on a diet = the time reference is now and I haven't been on a diet for a long time.

It had been a long time since I had gone on a diet = the time reference is some point in the past and at that time it was a long time since I had dieted. It gives no clues as to whether or not I have dieted between that time and now.

Note: apologies for the spelling errors in the original. I must stop trying to type on my phone.

emsr2d2 said:

The difference in meaning comes from the tense used in the first have if the sentence, not the second:

It has been a long time since I went on a diet = the time reference is now and I haven't been on a diet for a long time.

It had been a long time since I had gone on a diet = the time reference is some point in the past and at that time it wasca long time since I had dieted. It gives no clues as to whether or not I have dieted between that time and now.

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So are you saying, there is no difference in meaning of those two sentences I initially wrote, as long as the first halves of those sentences are identical?

rainous said:

So are you saying, there is no difference in meaning of those two sentences I initially wrote, as long as the first halves of those sentences are identical?

Click to expand...

If you're going to start both of them with "It had been a long time..." then the logical progression would be to "...since I had gone on..." not "since I went". Whilst it is not absolutely required to stick with one tense in any one sentence, in some cases it makes far more sense.

emsr2d2 said:

If you're going to start both of them with "It had been a long time..." then the logical progression would be to "...since I had gone on..." not "since I went". Whilst it is not absolutely required to stick with one tense in any one sentence, in some cases it makes far more sense.

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot