had earlier discussed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had earlier discussed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a conversation or topic that was previously mentioned or talked about at an earlier time. Example: "In our last meeting, we had earlier discussed the budget proposal and its implications for the upcoming project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Rehm writes honestly about their 50-year relationship, which the two had earlier discussed in a book called Toward Commitment: A Dialogue about Marriage.

The Guardian - Books

Lanphere had earlier discussed with EM.TV a deal that would shield Morgan Grenfell against a fall in the value of EM.TV.

Forbes

The group had earlier discussed preparing to be arrested for crowding the sidewalk, but that's no longer the case.

Huffington Post

Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS), which had earlier discussed the candidacy with Danilo Türk, subsequently nominated Mitja Gaspari, the former Governor of the Bank of Slovenia.

Wikipedia

In 1951, shortly before the two British spies Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean fled to the USSR, Burgess attempted to phone Auden to arrange a vacation visit to Ischia that he had earlier discussed with Auden; Auden never returned the call and had no further contact with either spy, but a media frenzy ensued in which his name was mistakenly associated with their escape.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Scholars have earlier discussed different understandings of integration and integrated assessment.

Life Sciences, Society and Policy

It is only after the social value of the study has been identified, evaluated, and enhanced could the RECs identify the individual interventions and then go through the other steps, i.e., the steps we have earlier discussed in the Net Risk Test.

BMC Medical Ethics

The government's statement that the delay would give it time to write a law, further opening the process of municipal elections, made no mention of allowing women to vote, which had earlier been discussed.

The New York Times

Lawyers representing the Kings had earlier been discussing his case at the High Court in a hearing conducted by telephone and involving UK and Spanish lawyers.

BBC

Differences in the nuclear translocation kinetics among aPKCs had been earlier discussed by others (Perander et al., 2001).

Biology Open

Those were the exact words!" Trump, who had earlier in the interview discussed the spending habits of his first wife, Ivana Trump, seemed to laugh along without protest.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had earlier discussed", ensure the context clearly indicates what was discussed and when it occurred. This helps maintain clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "had earlier discussed" without specifying the topic or context of the discussion. A vague reference can confuse the reader and diminish the impact of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had earlier discussed" functions as a verb phrase within a sentence, indicating that a specific topic or matter was talked about or deliberated upon at some prior point in time. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had earlier discussed" is a grammatically sound and functionally useful way to reference previous conversations or deliberations. While Ludwig confirms its correctness, it's important to ensure clarity by specifying the topic of discussion to avoid vagueness. The phrase sees use in a range of contexts, from scientific publications to news articles, suggesting its versatility and broad applicability. Alternatives like "previously discussed" can provide slight variations in tone and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previously discussed

Focuses on the action of discussing at a prior time, without necessarily implying recency or a close connection to the present.

discussed before

Indicates a discussion occurred at some point in the past, but lacks the emphasis on the 'earlier' timeframe.

talked about previously

Uses a more informal verb, 'talked', instead of 'discussed', suggesting a less formal conversation.

already covered

Implies the topic has been addressed and completed, rather than just discussed.

addressed earlier

Suggests the topic was formally dealt with or considered, potentially in a written format.

previously addressed

Emphasizes that the topic was formally dealt with or considered before, suggesting a structured handling.

touched on earlier

Indicates a brief or light discussion, lacking the depth implied by "discussed".

mentioned before

Suggests a brief reference to the topic without in-depth discussion.

deliberated upon previously

Implies a more formal and careful consideration, contrasting with a simple discussion.

considered beforehand

Emphasizes the act of thinking about something in advance, not necessarily involving a group discussion.

FAQs

What does "had earlier discussed" mean?

The phrase "had earlier discussed" means that a topic or issue was talked about or considered at some point in the past, prior to the current moment of reference. It implies a previous conversation or deliberation.

How can I use "had earlier discussed" in a sentence?

You can use "had earlier discussed" to refer back to a previous conversation or topic. For example: "We /s/previously+discussed the budget, so let's move on to the marketing plan."

What are some alternatives to "had earlier discussed"?

Alternatives include "previously discussed", "already covered", or "mentioned before", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "had earlier discussed" grammatically correct?

Yes, "had earlier discussed" is grammatically correct. It uses the past perfect tense correctly to indicate an action (discussing) that was completed before another point in the past.