had decided that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had decided that" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate a past decision that was made before another past event or action. Example: "She had decided that she would pursue a career in medicine before she even graduated from high school."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

He had had three operations since the bombings and had decided that was his limit.

The New York Times - Sports

Yet Mr. Braugher had decided that would be his last season on "Homicide".

The New York Times

Estalin, however, had decided that I could.

The Guardian - Travel

The liberals had decided that the plan really was "workfare".

The New Yorker

"She had decided that we should be together".

The New York Times

Mr. Lewis had decided that it was only one issue.

The New York Times

And then they had decided that she would stay here.

The New Yorker

Mr. Moonves said the network had decided that "C.S.I".

The New York Times - Arts

He had decided that he needed to finish a film.

The Guardian - Film

In addition, agricultural officials in Moscow had decided that only merino sheep would do.

The New Yorker

By late 1989, he had decided that he would never again work for a big company.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the subject of the phrase is clearly identified to avoid ambiguity. For example, "The committee had decided that the proposal needed revisions" is clearer than "It had been decided that the proposal needed revisions".

Common error

Avoid using "had decided that" when you mean a decision was recently made. Use the present perfect "has decided that" to indicate a decision with current relevance. For example, use "The company has decided that remote work will continue" instead of "The company had decided that remote work will continue" if the decision is still in effect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had decided that" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, indicating a decision made before another action or time in the past. As Ludwig confirms, it's grammatically correct. The examples show how it introduces a subordinate clause explaining the decision.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Science

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had decided that" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to indicate a decision made in the past before another event occurred. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and prevalence. It functions as a past perfect verb phrase and serves the purpose of reporting a past decision and providing context for subsequent actions. While suitable for various contexts, it's most frequently found in news and media sources. When writing, be mindful of using "has decided that" for recent decisions with present relevance. Consider alternatives like "had concluded that" or "had determined that" for more formal tones.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had come to the conclusion that

This alternative emphasizes the process of reasoning and arriving at a decision.

had concluded that

Similar to "had come to the conclusion that", but slightly more concise.

had resolved that

This suggests a firm and determined decision.

had determined that

This implies a careful and deliberate decision-making process.

had made up their mind that

This is a more informal way of expressing a decision.

had settled on

This suggests a final decision after considering alternatives.

had opted to

This implies a choice between different options.

had chosen to

A simple and direct way of stating a decision.

had seen fit to

This suggests a decision based on one's own judgment or discretion.

had thought it best to

This implies a decision based on what seemed like the most appropriate course of action.

FAQs

How can I use "had decided that" in a sentence?

Use "had decided that" to show a past decision that happened before another event in the past. For example, "She "had decided that" she would pursue a career in medicine before she even graduated from high school."

What's a more formal alternative to "had decided that"?

More formal alternatives include "had determined that" or "had concluded that", which suggest a more reasoned or official decision-making process.

Is it correct to say "has decided that" instead of "had decided that"?

It depends on the context. "Has decided that" indicates a decision made recently that still has relevance to the present, while ""had decided that"" refers to a decision made in the past, before another past event.

What's the difference between "had decided that" and "decided that"?

"Decided that" typically refers to a simple past action, whereas ""had decided that"" implies that the decision was made at some point before another event in the past. For example, "She decided that she wanted to travel the world" vs. "She "had decided that" she wanted to travel the world, so she started saving money."