I have completed vs I had completed

[kaushys79]

I have completed vs I had completed.

I need to know what is the correct way to convey the message that a particular task has been completed by me.

Do I say

1) I have created the maintenance plan.

or

2) I had created the maintenance plan.

I assume that the correct way to say it is 'I have created the maintenance plan.'

In both the cases I think it tells something in the past although 'have' is not associated with past tense.

 

[apbl]

I have completed vs I had completed.

I need to know what is the correct way to convey the message that a particular task has been completed by me.

Do I say

1) I have created the maintenance plan.

or

2) I had created the maintenance plan.

I assume that the correct way to say it is 'I have created the maintenance plan.'

In both the cases I think it tells something in the past although 'have' is not associated with past tense.

You seem to have changed verb in your example. Is this deliberate? First you talk about completing and then about creating. It doesn't really matter though as the answer is the same. I shall assume that you meant to say I have completed the maintenance plan.

If the completion of the maintenance plan is strongly tied to the present time and the specific moment of completion is not mentioned and not important then the first form is perfect:
• I have completed the maintenance plan.

If the completion is tied to a specific moment in the past such as last year then you should use the past simple:
• I completed the maintenance plan last year.

Only if the completion of the maintenance plan preceeded another past would you need to resort to the past perfect:
• I had completed the maintenance plan and was working on a new project at the time.

I hope that helps.

 

[kaushys79]

Firstly sorry for the change in the verb. But you are correct, it won't make a difference to the question. You can assume either of the verbs.

Going back to the actual question, that is exactly what I had in mind.

Examples,

1) I had completed the maintenance plan yesterday and will be proceeding with the next step today.

2) I have completed the maintenance plan and will be proceeding with the next step.

Both examples convey the message that the task is complete which would mean past tense but it depends on how early it is.

 

[apbl]

Examples,

1) I had completed the maintenance plan yesterday and will be proceeding with the next step today.

2) I have completed the maintenance plan and will be proceeding with the next step.

Both examples convey the message that the task is complete which would mean past tense but it depends on how early it is.

Well, the situation is a little different now that we have more context.

There is no need for the past perfect in the first example as it is not in relation to another past event. However since there is a specific time you should use the past simple:

• I completed the maintenance plan yesterday and will be proceeding with the next step today.

The second example is fine since there is no specific time context. It would be even more complete with the same "today" ending as the first example although it is not strictly necessary:

• I have completed the maintenance plan and will be proceeding with the next step today.

You could also say:
• I have completed the maintenance plan and will soon be proceeding with the next step.

 

[kaushys79]

Thank you so much
That does answer my question.

 

[e2e4]

/A learner/
Duff or not I want to say my opinion on this especially if the question isn't answered.

I have completed vs I had completed.

I need to know what is the correct way to convey the message that a particular task has been completed by me.

Do I say

1) I have created the maintenance plan.

or

2) I had created the maintenance plan.

I assume that the correct way to say it is 'I have created the maintenance plan.'

In both the cases I think it tells something in the past although 'have' is not associated with past tense.

Here in your first sentence, I see "have" as the auxiliary. The either main or lexical verb as some teachers call it, "created" as a past participle is associated with the past.

Adding the auxiliary "have" to a lexical verb that is tensed to the past (in the past participle form) we want to say that we are mostly interested in the result of the action at the time of speaking (current time) and not the time when it happened, certainly in the past.

If the time of speaking is already in the past and we are interested in an action that had happened before that time we use the past perfect.

By the time I had finished this my a learner's cent, some of the listeners had already gone to their kitchen, each to his, some to get a glass of water and some to get a whiskey for they had never liked the past perfect.