Differences

Question

A: I am told that.  B: I was told that.What's the differnces between A and B?

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Real TeleporterA: I am told that.
B: I was told that.
What's the differnces between A and B?

A is simple present, used to indicate habituation, or habitual behavior. Eg, "I am told several times every day how ugly I am."

It's also possible that simple present could be used to indicate a single event:
John just telephoned. He tells me that the concert has been canceled. (Also, "He is telling me that etc.")

B is simple past tense (passive voice), and suggests that you were told only once -
although it doesn't really exclude the possibility that you were told several times in the past.

So what it really boils down to is that both can mean the same thing: "Somebody told me."
But A is usually understood to refer to multiple reports over a period of time,
while B is usually understood to refer to a single report in the past.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

I thought I'd drop in with my two cents.

Both A and B are both passive voice.

If someone gave you or instructed you with certain information, we can say, you were told about certain information.

Usually, when you received the information, it is already a past tense situation. So "I was told..." is a more likely scenario. By saying that, it doesn't necessarily reveal the critical information of how many people or how many times I was told.

If someone has given you repeated information, then we can say "you have been told."

Lastly, "I am told..." is a less likely scenario.

That's my two.

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