'It had been years since I had seen him' vs 'it was years since I had seen him.' Which one is right?

 Both sentences can be correct, but they have slightly different uses depending on the context and the time you're referring to. Here’s the breakdown:

  1. "It had been years since I had seen him"

    • This is correct if you’re talking about something in the past relative to another past event. It’s written in the past perfect tense.
    • Example: "When we finally met at the reunion, it had been years since I had seen him."
    • It’s like saying, "At that point in the past, a long time had already passed."
  2. "It was years since I had seen him"

    • This is correct if you’re describing a past situation but don’t need to show a timeline of events. It’s in the past simple tense.
    • Example: "I bumped into him unexpectedly, and it was years since I had seen him."
    • It’s more straightforward and less focused on sequencing events.

In casual conversation, people often use "It had been years..." when they want to emphasize how long it’s been leading up to a specific past moment. Both work, but pick the one that fits the flow of your story!

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