had decreased from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had decreased from" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a reduction in quantity or value from a previous level to a current one. Example: "The company's profits had decreased from $1 million to $750,000 over the last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It said earnings per share had decreased from 14 cents to 13 cents.

The New York Times

Even before the disaster, basic sanitation coverage had decreased from 26% in 1990 to just 17% in 2008, with rural residents worst affected.

The Guardian

The report also said the severity of hypoxia, or low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water, had decreased from the late 1980's.

The New York Times

During the second five-year period after harvest, growth of residual Populus spp. had decreased from high levels observed in the first period.

Forest Ecology and Management

The number of medium and large-sized mammal species had decreased from 31to2626, with G-F index decreased by 0.11, about 20% that of 1974.

Landscape and Urban Planning

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport softened us up for the bad news by revealing that the "proportion of adults visiting a library" had decreased from 48.2% to 39.4% in the four years to 2010.

The Guardian - Books

Being able to analyze overtime in each unit has helped him keep overtime costs down, Mr. Gerbasi said, adding that annual overtime costs had decreased from roughly $2.1 million to $1.1 million as a result.

The New York Times

A slight increase in the lowest wages meant that the number of people living in poverty – classified as living on half the median household income – had decreased from 11%to8%8%, he said.

The Guardian

By comparing measurements of ice thickness between 1958 and 1976 with data from 1993 and 1997, he determined that the thickness had decreased from 10.2 feet in the early period to 5.9 feet in the 1990's.

The New York Times - Science

In the 9th century the Baghdad astronomers observed that the obliquity of the ecliptic had decreased from the value given in Ptolemy's Almagest.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The study also found that initial quality had decreased from last year and that the decline was due mostly to technology design issues, Mr. Sargent said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had decreased from", ensure that the initial and final values are clearly stated for context and clarity. This helps the reader understand the magnitude of the change.

Common error

Avoid using "has decreased from" when referring to a completed action in the past. The past perfect tense, "had decreased from", is necessary to indicate that the decrease occurred before another point in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had decreased from" functions as part of a verb phrase. According to Ludwig, this construction is grammatically sound and commonly used to describe a reduction in quantity, value, or intensity over a period concluding in the past. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

40%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had decreased from" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to describe a reduction from a previous state, as affirmed by Ludwig. Appearing most often in science and news media, it serves to provide a quantifiable comparison between two points in time. Its use is appropriate for neutral to formal contexts. Remember to state initial and final values when using this phrase. While alternatives like "had declined from" exist, the key is to maintain clarity and context in your writing. Ludwig offers helpful examples to guide effective usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had declined from

This alternative directly replaces "decreased" with "declined", maintaining a similar level of formality and meaning.

had reduced from

"Reduced" suggests a deliberate action to lessen something, whereas "decreased" is more neutral.

had fallen from

Substituting "decreased" with "fallen" provides a more informal tone while still indicating a reduction.

had diminished from

"Diminished" often refers to a gradual decrease, implying a longer period of reduction than "decreased" might.

had dropped from

"Dropped" implies a sudden or significant decrease, adding a sense of immediacy not always present in "decreased".

the level decreased from

Focuses on the change in level, shifting the emphasis from the action of decreasing.

saw a decrease from

Changes the structure to emphasize the observation of a decrease, rather than stating it directly.

experienced a decline from

Similar to "saw a decrease", but uses "decline" to denote a more negative or impactful reduction.

the amount lessened from

Replaces "decreased" with "lessened", offering a slightly less formal way to express a reduction in quantity.

registered a drop from

Implies a formal recording or measurement of the decrease, suitable for statistical or scientific contexts.

FAQs

How do I use "had decreased from" in a sentence?

Use "had decreased from" to show a reduction between two points in the past, like "The population "had decreased from" 1 million to 500,000 by 2020".

What are some alternatives to "had decreased from"?

You can use alternatives such as "had declined from", "had fallen from", or "had dropped from" to express a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "has decreased from" instead of "had decreased from"?

Using "has decreased from" implies the decrease is still relevant to the present. "Had decreased from" is used when the entire timeframe is in the past.

What's the difference between "had decreased from" and "decreased from"?

"Had decreased from" indicates that the decrease happened before a specific point in the past, while "decreased from" can refer to a more general past decrease.