Has been Vs had been [closed]
An event which began two days ago just ended now.
Which tense should be used to describe this (present perfect or past perfect) and why?
- It has been a tortuous journey.
- It had been a tortuous journey.
Solution 1:
"It has been a tortuous journey", unless the journey took place before something else you wish to tell (e.g. "until we hit the highway, it had been a tortuous journey").
This is basic sequence of tenses (consecutio temporum in Latin). Event1 happens before Event2, and you're telling it in the present (call it Event3). Event2 has just happened (present perfect) or happened (simple past). Event1 had already happened (past perfect).
Solution 2:
Has been is present perfect continuous. It started in the past but is still going on.
Had been is past perfect. It started and ended in the past
So "it has been a tortuous journey" means it is still going on. "It had been a tortuous journey" means the journey is over.