kb_lobregas
New member
- Joined
- May 4, 2010
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
what's the difference between we had been and we have been?
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the difference?
- Thread starter kb_lobregas
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2009
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- British English
- Home Country
- UK
- Current Location
- UK
I have a feeling this isn't going to be what you were looking for but "we had been" is the past perfect, and "we have been" is the present perfect, of "to be" in the 1st person plural.
billmcd
Key Member
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2009
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- English
- Home Country
- United States
- Current Location
- United States
To add to emsr2d2's post, it would be helpful if you would have submitted complete sentences with your post but in general (I always leave room for exceptions), past perfect (had + past participle e.g. "been") is used for an action that preceded another past action, e.g. "I failed the test (most recent past event) because I had been absent (oldest past event) for three weeks". Present perfect (have + past participle e.g. "been") is used for actions begun in the past and continuing to the present, "John has been a student at the university for 2 years."
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