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Its been more than a year that I have/had not visited them.Does the above mean that  I am now visiting them after a year?

Avangi · Accepted Answer

dec09Does the above mean that I am now visiting them after a year?

The present perfect (have) clearly does not mean that.
If you're there now, you can't say that you haven't visited them.

To me, the use of the past perfect (had) would be ungrammatical with "It has been" (It's been - present perfect).

Its been more than a year that I have/had not visited them.

With "have," this sentence means to me that you still have not visited them.

If you wish to indicate that you visited (or "have visited") them after a year, say,
"It had been more than a year that I had not visited them."

But you need an earlier statement saying that you did in fact visit them.

This still does not indicate that you're there at the present moment. You may have left again.

The simple answer to your question is "No."

I'm not really sure what it is that you do want to say.

- A.

Synonym · Answer

Thanks Mr. Avangi

This is the one which I wanted "It had been more than a year that I had not visited them."

It is a situation that presently I am not there and have already left the place. But had visited them neary after an year. And I wish to write about that.

Synonym · Answer

"It had been more than a year that I had not visited them."

If I am still at the place where I had not been for long. [ I mean I want to write the same from the same place when I am still over there] How am I suppose to write it. I guess so I have state that I am presently at that place..

Avangi · Answer

dec09 I guess so I have state that I am presently at that place..

In my opinion, this is true.
The period of your absence is now accomplished - over and done with!

In your writing, it would be best to mention the visit (and state or imply in some way that you're still there) BEFORE you make the statement about the long period of absence.

You also need to clear up whether you want to be there as you speak the narration, or simply to describe things which happened in the past, while you were there, also mentioning the prior long period of absense.

I am writing from my friend's house. We are having a great time remembering some of the things we have done.
He seems exactly the same, although it has been more than a year since our last visit.

With a present tense narrative, you can use the present perfect (has been), because the period of absense ended very recently. "Since" and "last" help to clarify the time frame.

OR with a past tense narrative:
I finally visited my friend last month. We had a great time remembering the old days.
He seemed exactly the same, although it had been more than a year since our last visit.

Its been more than a year that I have/had not visited them.

The way you have written your "that" clause has painted you into a corner regarding your choice of perfect tenses.
You can say, "I am having a great time! It has been more than a year since our last visit."

OR "I am having a great time! It had been more than a year that I had not visited them."

I suppose some may consider it a minor point, but if you're there, you can't say that you have not visitedthem.

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