had come off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had come off" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has detached or been removed from a surface or context, often in a past tense narrative. Example: "The label had come off the bottle, making it difficult to identify the contents."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Admirable, if it had come off.

The Guardian - Sport

Happily most of the Movember moustaches had come off.

Independent

His oxygen mask had come off, officials said.

The New York Times

In fact, the ball had come off André Schürrle's foot.

The Guardian - Sport

The injury was so gruesome that Fisher said he thought Johnson's shoe had come off.

The New York Times

What went on below the surface, or what had come off, was ours to guess.

The New Yorker

"He said he had come off better than a lot of people, were his words.

Independent

Analysts, meanwhile, said the Murdochs had come off relatively well at the hearings.

The New York Times

Officials said around 9 p.m. that the final passenger had come off the bus.

The New York Times

I turned round and said, 'Where the hell has everybody come from?'" He had counted only four cars in the car park: "They had come off the train, they had come off the fells, come from everywhere".

The Guardian

By East Brunswick, on the replacement bus, jackets and scarves had come off, and heads began to nod.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had come off" to describe a past action where something became detached or was removed. Ensure the context clearly indicates what was detached and from what.

Common error

Avoid using "had come off" when describing a present or future event. Use appropriate tenses such as "is coming off" or "will come off" depending on the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had come off" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. It indicates that an action of detaching or being removed was completed before a specific time in the past. Ludwig examples confirm its usage in describing completed past actions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had come off" is a versatile verb phrase used to describe a past action where something has detached or been removed. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and frequently appears in various contexts, primarily within news and media. When using this phrase, ensure the tense is appropriate for the timeline you are describing and consider alternatives such as "had detached" or "had been removed" for subtle variations in meaning. Avoiding tense errors, particularly in present or future contexts is important. It is also worth remembering that the alternative phrases will have slightly different meanings from that of "had come off".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had detached

Focuses specifically on the physical separation of something.

had been removed

Emphasizes the action of taking something away.

had broken off

Suggests a forceful separation or fracture.

had fallen off

Indicates a passive detachment due to gravity or lack of securement.

had been completed successfully

Shifts the focus to successful completion of an activity.

had been successfully executed

Emphasizes the planned and skillful execution of an action.

had pulled away

Implies a deliberate act of moving or distancing oneself.

had separated

Focuses on the state of being divided or distinct.

had transpired

Implies something occurred or came about.

had materialized

Indicates something has become real or visible, often unexpectedly.

FAQs

How can I use "had come off" in a sentence?

You can use "had come off" to describe something that detached in the past. For example: "The paint "had come off" the wall due to the humidity".

What are some alternatives to "had come off"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "had detached", "had been removed", or "had fallen off".

Is it correct to say "has come off" instead of "had come off"?

The choice between "has come off" and "had come off" depends on the timeframe you are referencing. "Has come off" indicates something that detached recently and is relevant to the present, whereas "had come off" refers to something that detached at an earlier point in the past.

What's the difference between "had come off" and "came off"?

"Came off" is simple past tense, describing a single action in the past. "Had come off" is past perfect, usually indicating an action completed before another point in the past. For example: "The wheel "had come off" before the car crashed".