had broken down

USAGE SUMMARY

"had broken down" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is usually used when referring to a machine or other technology that has malfunctioned. For example, "The train had broken down, so we were forced to find an alternate mode of transportation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I thought the LHC had broken down?

The Guardian

"Negotiations had broken down," Suhr said.

The Guardian

One of her freezers had broken down, she was told.

The Guardian

"My relationship had broken down at home," he explains, candidly.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

(The car originally scheduled, a Pontiac, had broken down).

The New York Times - Travel

Noting that three machines had broken down, the American Nick Pearson said, "That's a world record".

The New York Times - Sports

(The trip had taken thirty-seven hours — their buses had broken down twice).

The New Yorker

In court papers, he said communications between his firm and Hunter Property had "broken down".

The New York Times

It turned out that Moses' car had broken down on the piping hot Grand Central Parkway.

The New York Times

The car had broken down often, but on the trip it gave them relatively little trouble.

The New Yorker

The former chief executive of the Football Association, David Davies, said the relationship had "broken down".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had broken down", ensure the tense is consistent with the surrounding text. This phrase is in the past perfect tense, indicating an action completed before another action in the past. For example, "The car had broken down before we reached the city."

Common error

Avoid using "had broken down" when simple past tense is more appropriate. For example, instead of "The car had broken down yesterday", use "The car broke down yesterday" if there's no prior past action to refer to.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had broken down" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense, indicating that an action (breaking down) was completed before another action in the past. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Formal & Business

11%

Science

11%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had broken down" is a grammatically sound past perfect verb phrase that conveys the idea that something stopped functioning before another event in the past. According to Ludwig, the phrase is common across various sources, predominantly in news and media, but also in business and scientific contexts. It's crucial to use it when describing an event that preceded another past event, and to avoid using it when the simple past tense is more appropriate. Remember Ludwig AI indicates that it's a grammatically correct expression. As a wrap up, the phrase is valuable for describing technical malfunctions, relationship dissolutions, and negotiation failures, adding depth and clarity to the narrative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had failed

This alternative is a more general term for not succeeding or malfunctioning.

had stopped working

This alternative specifies that the issue involves a cessation of operation.

had malfunctioned

This alternative emphasizes a fault in the operation or function of something.

had ceased to function

This is a more formal way of saying something stopped working.

had become inoperative

This suggests that something is no longer able to operate or be used.

had collapsed

This suggests a sudden failure or breakdown, often in a structural sense.

was out of order

This is a common way of saying something isn't working.

was non-functional

This emphasizes that something lacks the ability to perform its intended function.

had given out

This means something stopped functioning, often due to wear or age.

had quit working

This alternative is a more informal way of saying something stopped working.

FAQs

How do I use "had broken down" in a sentence?

Use "had broken down" to indicate that something stopped working before a specific time or event in the past. For instance, "By the time the ambulance arrived, the machine "had broken down" completely".

What can I say instead of "had broken down"?

You can use alternatives like "had failed", "had stopped working", or "had malfunctioned" depending on the specific context.

What is the difference between "broke down" and "had broken down"?

"Broke down" is simple past tense, while ""had broken down"" is past perfect. Use "had broken down" when describing an event that occurred before another event in the past. For example, "The car "had broken down", so we were late."

Is it correct to say "the car has broken down" instead of "the car had broken down"?

"The car has broken down" is present perfect tense, indicating an event that happened at an unspecified time in the past and is relevant to the present. Use "the car "had broken down"" only when referencing a past action that happened before another action in the past.