had described before

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had described before" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to something that was previously explained or detailed in a past context, often in relation to a narrative or discussion. Example: "In the previous chapter, I had described before how the protagonist faced his greatest challenge."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Like him, Mr. R. was euphoric — I wondered if that was part of the syndrome that no one had described before.

The New Yorker

But after 48 weeks of diet and exercise, their average weight loss was just 37 pounds, a loss that they had described before the study as "disappointing and could not be viewed as successful in any way".

The New York Times

If they stated that this was not possible, the hypnotherapist asked them to focus their attention on imagining an individual situation of well-being and calmness they had described before hypnosis.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

We had described before, that stimulation with TRAIL can result in four different net effects, namely cell death induction in type A cells, no effect on type 0 cells, simultaneous induction of apoptosis and proliferation in type AP cells and selective induction of proliferation in type P cells [ 33].

Cell Communication and Signaling

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

As I've described before, China is a rare creature: a high-functioning dictatorship.

The New Yorker

As we've described before, Kreditech's business is based on a big data play.

TechCrunch

As we have described before, FreedomPop doesn't consider itself a typical MVNO simply reselling capacity in a low-margin, high volume play.

TechCrunch

As we have described before, Glint works by way of employee surveys, which it then analyzes using machine learning, natural language processing and predictive analytics.

TechCrunch

The things we've described before.

Huffington Post

Soloway has described before how she views her show as the death of one parent (Mort) giving birth to the life of another (Maura).

Huffington Post

As we have described before [ 48], protein aggregation and stability do, in fact, have many different "faces".

BioMed Research International

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had described before", ensure that the context clearly indicates what was previously described and where. This helps maintain clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "had described before" without clearly specifying when and where the prior description took place. This can lead to confusion and weaken your argument or explanation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had described before" functions as a part of a clause, indicating that an action of describing occurred at a time prior to another action or point in time being referenced. It's used to provide background information or context.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had described before" is grammatically correct and serves to indicate that a description occurred prior to a specific point in time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is usable in written English. Its usage is relatively rare, predominantly found in scientific and news contexts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying what was previously described and where. Alternatives include "previously depicted" or "earlier outlined". While grammatically sound, clarity in context is paramount for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previously depicted

Focuses on the visual aspect of describing, implying a prior representation.

earlier outlined

Emphasizes the act of providing a summary or overview in the past.

already detailed

Highlights the thoroughness of the previous description.

formerly explained

Stresses that an explanation was given at an earlier time.

mentioned previously

A more general alternative referring to something said or written earlier.

discussed beforehand

Implies that the topic was talked about prior to the current situation.

documented earlier

Highlights that information was recorded at an earlier time.

presented in the past

Focuses on the action of introducing something at an earlier occasion.

covered before

A simple and common way to express that a subject has been addressed earlier.

addressed previously

Similar to 'covered before', but may imply that the subject was dealt with in detail.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "had described before" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you can use phrases such as "previously detailed" or "formerly explained", which add a layer of professionalism and precision.

Is there a difference between "had described before" and "previously described"?

"Had described before" uses the past perfect tense, emphasizing that the description occurred before a specific point in the past. "Previously described" is simpler and indicates that something was described at an earlier time without necessarily linking it to another past event.

When should I use "had described before" instead of "described before"?

Use "had described before" when you want to emphasize that the description happened before another event in the past. For example, "The phenomenon had described before became relevant during the experiment."

What are some common synonyms for "had described before"?

Some common synonyms include "already detailed", "earlier outlined", or "mentioned previously", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.