had barely begun

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had barely begun" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has just started or is in its initial stages, often implying that there is much more to come. Example: "The project had barely begun when the team encountered their first major challenge."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But England had barely begun.

Independent

In fact, it had barely begun.

Independent

But LaNier's ordeal had barely begun.

The Washington Post

But the Bishop phenomenon had barely begun.

The New Yorker

But his career almost ended when it had barely begun.

The New York Times - Sports

Thanksgiving Day had barely begun when Kevin Hofman's BlackBerry buzzed.

The New York Times

Mr. McMillian, a Democrat, had barely begun campaigning for mayor.

The New York Times

Still, officials had barely begun to assess the damage.

The New York Times

The modern civil-rights movement had barely begun.

The New Yorker

The interview had barely begun before the cameras stopped working.

The New York Times - Sports

Make it "felt as though his season had barely begun" (sequence of tenses).

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had barely begun" to emphasize that an event or process is in its earliest stages, suggesting that much more is to come. This is particularly effective when highlighting unexpected interruptions or premature conclusions.

Common error

Avoid using "had barely begun" when you simply mean something started recently without the implication of a truncated process or unrealized potential. In such cases, "had just started" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had barely begun" functions as part of a verb phrase, indicating the initial stage of an action or event. Ludwig examples show it often introduces a sense of prematurity or unrealized potential, reinforced by Ludwig AI's grammatical assessment.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Science

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had barely begun" is a grammatically sound construction frequently used to describe situations where an action or event was in its nascent stages. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English, often implying that the subject was cut short or interrupted. Common in News & Media and Academia, it conveys a sense of prematurity. Alternatives like "had only just started" or "was just getting underway" offer nuanced replacements depending on the desired emphasis. When using "had barely begun", ensure you intend to highlight the limited progress made before another event transpired, and remember to avoid using it in contexts where a simple recent start is all that's meant.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had only just started

Replaces "barely" with "only just", emphasizing the recent commencement.

had scarcely started

Uses "scarcely" instead of "barely", conveying a similar sense of minimal progress.

had just commenced

Replaces "begun" with the more formal "commenced", suitable for formal contexts.

was in its infancy

Offers a figurative expression, implying the earliest stage of development.

was just getting underway

Uses a more idiomatic expression to indicate the start of an activity.

was in the initial phase

Emphasizes that something is in the starting phase.

had only touched the surface

Suggests that very little has been done or explored yet.

was still in its early days

Indicates a state of newness and limited duration so far.

was in its formative stages

Highlights that something is still developing and taking shape.

was just beginning to unfold

Implies that the full extent or nature of something is yet to be revealed.

FAQs

How can I use "had barely begun" in a sentence?

The phrase "had barely begun" is used to indicate that something was in its earliest stages. For example, "The project "had barely begun" when funding was cut."

What can I say instead of "had barely begun"?

Alternatives include phrases like "had only just started", "was in its infancy", or "was just getting underway", depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "had barely begun" or "barely had begun"?

"Had barely begun" is the correct and more common order in most contexts. "Barely had begun" is grammatically correct but sounds archaic and is mostly used for emphasis in formal contexts.

What's the difference between "had barely begun" and "had just begun"?

"Had barely begun" implies that something was cut short or interrupted soon after starting. "Had just begun" simply indicates that something started recently without necessarily implying interruption.