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Jack112 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Wanting

I can't tell if I have two past events here. Are both of them appropriate? Which one would you use?

And what do these ones mean?

1. I have been wanting to say that to her for a long time and I finally said it yesterday.

2. I had been wanting to say that to her for a long time and I finally said it yesterday.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Hello Jack My choice is #2. Your state of "be wanting to say that" ended yesterday, and now you are not wanting to say that. So you cannot say "I have been wanting to say that".

— Paco2004

  • Hello Jack My choice is #2.
  • Your state of "be wanting to say that" ended yesterday, and now you are not wanting to say that.
  • So you cannot say "I have been wanting to say that".
  • paco
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2 Answers
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Hello Jack

My choice is #2.

Your state of "be wanting to say that" ended yesterday, and now you are not wanting to say that. So you cannot say "I have been wanting to say that".

paco
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I agree with Paco. Yet, don't be surprised to hear a native speaker use the first one (to mean the same as the second). It doesn't have a particularly jarring ring to it, and most listeners will mentally adjust quickly so that accurate communication is not really impaired.

CJ
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