I recognised him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I recognised him" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that you identified someone you know or have seen before. Example: "As he walked past me in the street, I recognised him from our college days."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

I recognised him.

The Guardian

I recognised him and called his name.

The Guardian

I recognised him from newspaper photos.

The Guardian

I recognised him and became excited.

The Guardian - Travel

'I recognised him but they wouldn't let me see Sophie.

The Guardian

"I was watching Sky News and I recognised him in handcuffs on the ground," he said.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

How will I recognise him?

The Guardian

Tom Hamilton, 38, Glasgow "I recognise him.

The Guardian - Film

I recognise him as a big man.

The Guardian

"Of course I recognise him," he said, "It was him [JMLP] who did this to me.

The Guardian - Opinion

I recognise him with shame, as Pip himself comes to do.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I recognised him" when you want to clearly convey that you identified someone you had previous knowledge of, whether through direct encounter or familiarity from photos or descriptions.

Common error

Avoid using "I recognised him" when you simply meet someone new for the first time. "Recognise" implies a prior familiarity, even if faint. Use other expression in that case.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I recognised him" functions as a statement of identification. It indicates that the speaker was able to identify someone based on prior knowledge or encounters, as confirmed by Ludwig. It is a declarative statement expressing a past action.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "I recognised him" is a grammatically sound and commonly employed expression used to indicate the speaker's ability to identify someone based on prior knowledge. Ludwig confirms its correctness and widespread usage, particularly within news and media contexts. While several alternative phrases exist, such as "I identified him" or "I remembered him", each carries slight nuances in meaning. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects the context of having previous familiarity with the person being identified.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I identified him

Emphasizes the act of formally establishing his identity.

I remembered him

Highlights the retrieval of his image or details from memory.

I knew him from sight

Focuses on recognizing him based on visual appearance.

I placed him immediately

Implies an immediate association and identification.

His face was familiar

Shifts the focus to the familiarity of his face.

I was able to place him

Suggests an ability to connect him to a specific context or memory.

He looked familiar

Shifts the emphasis to his appearance being recognizable.

I spotted him

Suggests briefly noticing and recognizing him.

I recalled him

Emphasizes the act of actively bringing him to mind.

I recollected him

Implies bringing back a clearer or more detailed memory of him.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "I recognised him"?

You can use alternatives like "I identified him", "I remembered him", or "I knew him from sight" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "I recognize him" instead of "I recognised him"?

Yes, but the tense changes the meaning. "I recognise him" indicates you currently know him, whereas "I recognised him" indicates you knew him at some point in the past.

How do I use "I recognised him" in a sentence?

You can use it to show you remembered him from the past, for example: "As he walked past me in the street, "I recognised him" from our college days."

What's the difference between "I recognised him" and "I remembered him"?

"I recognised him" emphasizes the immediate identification upon seeing him. "I remembered him" focuses on the mental process of recalling details about him.