What's the difference between these verbs?

[Kristine May]

It was the evidence they HAD long been looking for.
It was the evidence they HAVE long been looking for.






THANKS!

 

[Khosro]

It was the evidence they HAD long been looking for.
It was the evidence they HAVE long been looking for.






THANKS!

Sorry if my comment is useless. The difference between those two is the difference between an action in past perfect continuous sense and another one in present perfect continuous sense.

Perhaps this one be more usefull:
You should interprete "was" in those two differently.in the first sentence, "was" is a really far "was", in the second one, it is close to the present time.

 

[Barb_D]

.

Perhaps this one be more usefull:
You should interprete "was" in those two differently.in the first sentence, "was" is a really far "was", in the second one, it is close to the present time.

Indeed, so close that perhaps "is" is a better choice.

 

[Kristine May]

Indeed, so close that perhaps "is" is a better choice.

Are u saying that "It WAS the evidence that they have long been looking for." is wrong?

 

[5jj]

Are you saying that "It WAS the evidence that they have long been looking for." is wrong?

That was not what Barb said.

It is not wrong, but the time of finding the evidence has to be fairly close to the present time for this to work, so close that 'is' is a beter choice - as Barb said.