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Mon Feb 18, 2008 20:09 pm "have told" vs "had told" |
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Hi!
As a native English speaker, I know that I would say "I'd (already) told you once" in response to "Why didn't you tell me?", however either is acceptable and I suppose it depends on the context.
Hope this has helped a little! aha  |
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dansk New Member
Joined: 18 Feb 2008 Posts: 4
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Tue Feb 19, 2008 15:46 pm "have told" vs "had told" |
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Hi rahulpayne
First of all, you can say either of the following: Q: Why did you not tell me? Q: Why didn't you tell me?
You cannot say this: Why did not you tell me?
Personally, I don't think either the present perfect or the past perfect would be be used in a typical response to the question "Why didn't you tell me?" I think it more likely that the response would be in the simple past tense -- something like one of these:
A: I did tell you! I told you about it as soon as I knew. A: I did! I told you last week. . _________________ Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 7375 Location: Northeast US
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Tue Feb 19, 2008 18:09 pm "have told" vs "had told" |
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Hi Rahulpayne,
It's standard practice to answer a question in the same tense as the one used in the question as in:
Have you understood? Yes, I have. Are you going there? Yes, I am Hadn't you realised that earlier? No, I hadn't.
And so on.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Conditionals |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 7190 Location: UK
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Tue Feb 19, 2008 18:43 pm "have told" vs "had told" |
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thanks a lot sir
but what if i am not sure about it? Would it be correct to say "i am not sure but i think i had/have told you about it/this earlier?"
or is there is any other way to say the same sentence briefly without losing its meaning? |
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rahulpayne New Member
Joined: 18 Feb 2008 Posts: 5
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Tue Feb 19, 2008 23:23 pm "have told" vs "had told" |
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Hi rahulpayne
Try this: Q: Why didn't you tell me? A: I think I did. / I thought I had. . _________________ Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 7375 Location: Northeast US
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