Had we neglected

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Had we neglected" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in conditional sentences to express a hypothetical situation in the past where neglect occurred. Example: "Had we neglected our responsibilities, the project would have failed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We could have come through had we neglected the sick.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

We know you guys also had requests, and we neglected to get an official channel for those in place promptly.

TechCrunch

"We had neglected our legacy and our fans, so we were just starting the fan club up again," guitarist Kim Thayil recently told Kerrang.

The Guardian - Music

It isn't until 5 hours later and very little comfort that we realize we have neglected to pull down the foot rest the entire way.

Huffington Post

Foolishly, we had neglected to bring a compass.

The New Yorker

He spied a pretzel stand -- in our wandering, we had neglected lunch -- and treated us both.

The New York Times

We had neglected to put gloves on, but this didn't seem to matter, because the few bees there were so listless.

The New Yorker

Our luck changed when he decided to visit the other side of the street past several bars that we had neglected.

Vice

We had neglected community responsibility, justice and citizenship and forgotten about child's internal development," said Francesca Hawala, Kisumu City Education Office.

Unicef

We've mastered fuel-efficient vehicles, but we've neglected to do the same for our buildings.

The New York Times

Today, all the things that we neglected have returned and are chasing us like evil spirits.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "Had we neglected", ensure the context clearly indicates what was neglected and the potential consequences, creating a strong hypothetical statement.

Common error

Avoid using "Had we neglected" without a clear 'then' clause or implied consequence. The phrase sets up a hypothetical situation, and the reader should understand the outcome of that neglect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Had we neglected" functions as a conditional clause, specifically introducing a past unreal conditional. It sets up a hypothetical scenario where something was neglected, implying a consequence. This aligns with Ludwig's assessment that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Had we neglected" is a grammatically sound phrase used to introduce a hypothetical past scenario where neglect occurred. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability. While the phrase is relatively rare, it appears across varied contexts, from news and media to scientific and formal business writing. When employing "Had we neglected", ensure the context clearly defines what was neglected and the resultant consequences, creating a robust conditional statement. Remember to avoid using it without a clear implication of what would have followed the neglect.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

If we had been neglectful

Rephrases the sentence to use 'neglectful' as an adjective, emphasizing the state of being neglectful rather than the act itself.

In the event of our neglect

Changes the structure to a noun-based conditional phrase, highlighting neglect as a potential event.

Supposing we had failed to care

Substitutes 'neglected' with 'failed to care', focusing on the lack of attention or responsibility.

If we hadn't been attentive

Uses the opposite of neglect, 'attentive', to convey the hypothetical situation.

Assuming we had been remiss

Replaces 'neglected' with 'remiss', indicating a failure to fulfill a duty.

Had we been inattentive

Similar to 'If we hadn't been attentive', but uses 'inattentive' for variety.

If we had overlooked things

Simplifies 'neglected' to 'overlooked things', making it more conversational.

In a scenario where we didn't take care

Expands the phrase to explicitly state the lack of care.

Assuming our dereliction of duty

Uses 'dereliction of duty' to strongly emphasize the neglectful behavior.

If we had shirked our responsibilities

Replaces 'neglected' with 'shirked our responsibilities', highlighting the evasion of obligations.

FAQs

How can I use "Had we neglected" in a sentence?

The phrase "Had we neglected" is used to introduce a hypothetical situation in the past where something was neglected. For example, "Had we neglected our duties, the project would have failed."

What's a formal alternative to "Had we neglected"?

A more formal alternative to "Had we neglected" could be "In the event that we had been neglectful". This version is suitable for professional or academic contexts.

Which is correct: "Had we neglected" or "If we would have neglected"?

"Had we neglected" is the correct phrasing for a past hypothetical conditional. "If we would have neglected" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Use "If we had neglected" instead.

What can I say instead of "Had we neglected" to sound less formal?

For a less formal tone, you could use phrases like "If we'd ignored" or "If we hadn't paid attention to". See also "If we had overlooked things".