She was pleased with herself. She had found what she was looking for.

Is it also possible to say this:

She was pleased with herself. She had found what she had been looking for.

If so, what's the difference?

Question

She was pleased with herself. She had found what she was looking for.

Is it also possible to say this:

She was pleased with herself. She had found what she had been looking for.

If so, what's the difference?

Answer

Yes, of course. The first one tells us she was looking for it at the time she found it. The second one tells us that she had been looking for it for some unspecified amount of time before she found it.

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