had been running for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'had been running for' is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it when describing a period of time that had already passed. For example, "My car had been running for five years before it broke down."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

If Roosevelt had been running for reëlection, he, too, would almost certainly have lost.

The New Yorker

The meter had been running for three hours, and a strong sense of anticlimax was building.

The New Yorker

She said she had been running for a cab but "some other people took it".

The New York Times

The air-conditioners had been running for about 40 minutes, the board said.

The New York Times

I joined the Clink Charity in 2010, when it had been running for six months.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The heavily promoted ride had been running for only three weeks.

The New York Times

It was 9.14pm and the debate had been running for about five minutes.

The Guardian

The show had been running for two years when Mediae decided it could have wider use.

The Guardian

But, although it had been running for almost three weeks, enthusiasm for "Avatar" remained undimmed and lines for tickets long.

The New York Times

The story had been running for six days and David Cameron faces Prime Minister's Questions at midday.

Independent

By the time the SEMAR commandos entered the tunnel, Guzmán had been running for more than ten minutes.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been running for" to clearly indicate the duration of an activity, process, or campaign that started in the past and continued until a specific point in the past. This helps establish a timeline for your readers.

Common error

Avoid mixing tenses when using "had been running for". Ensure the surrounding sentences are also in the past perfect or simple past to maintain grammatical consistency.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been running for" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating duration. It specifies the length of time something existed or was active until a particular point in the past. Ludwig examples confirm its role in describing ongoing activities or existence over a period.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been running for" is a versatile phrase used to describe the duration of something up to a specific point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used in various contexts, from news articles to scientific papers. Pay attention to maintaining consistent tenses and choosing appropriate synonyms depending on the context. Top sources like The New York Times and The Guardian frequently employ this phrase. Overall, understanding its function and purpose can significantly improve the clarity and precision of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been ongoing for

Emphasizes the continuous nature of an event over time.

had been operating for

Focuses on the functioning of something over a period.

had been underway for

Similar to 'ongoing', but often implies a planned activity.

had been active for

Describes a period of engagement or performance.

had campaigned for

Similar to "had been running for" when referring to a political position, but focuses on campaigning.

had been in effect for

Highlights the duration of a rule or system's implementation.

had served for

Focuses on time spent in a specific role or position.

had existed for

States the length of time something has been in existence.

had lasted for

Highlights the duration of a condition or event.

had stretched for

Implies a duration, sometimes with a sense of being prolonged.

FAQs

How can I use "had been running for" in a sentence?

Use "had been running for" to describe the duration of something up to a specific point in the past. For example, "The company "had been running for" five years when it was acquired."

What are some alternatives to "had been running for"?

Alternatives include "had been operating for", "had been in effect for", or "had been ongoing for". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "has been running for" instead of "had been running for"?

The choice depends on the time frame you're referencing. "Has been running for" describes something that started in the past and continues to the present. "Had been running for" describes something that started and ended in the past.

What's the difference between "had been running for" and "was running for"?

"Had been running for" indicates duration leading up to a specific point in the past, while "was running for" simply describes an action in progress at a particular time in the past. For example, "She "had been running for" an hour when it started to rain" vs. "She "was running for" exercise yesterday morning."