diff --git a/news/12040.feature.rst b/news/12040.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..beff856f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/12040.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+make rejection messages slightly different between 1 and 8, so the user can make the difference.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/reporter.py b/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/reporter.py
index 3c724238a..12adeff7b 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/reporter.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/reporter.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class PipReporter(BaseReporter):
                 "requirements. This could take a while."
             ),
             8: (
-                "pip is looking at multiple versions of {package_name} to "
+                "pip is still looking at multiple versions of {package_name} to "
                 "determine which version is compatible with other "
                 "requirements. This could take a while."
             ),