had early been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had early been" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely intended to convey that something occurred earlier than expected or previously, but the phrasing is awkward and not commonly used. Example: "The project had early been completed before the deadline."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Matsudaira was a member of the reigning Tokugawa family and had early been considered for adoption as heir to the shogun, or hereditary military dictator of Japan.

Encyclopedia Britannica

To Premier Debre, on the Government bench, he delivered a telling shot by saying, "Your former words still remain in our spirit: "The abandonment of Algeria is an illegitimate act'" - which, of course, Debre, who had early been pr-Algerie Francaise himself, had indeed said.

The New Yorker

Traffic and particularly road traffic had early been identified as one of the main GHG emission sources (see above).

Environmental Sciences Europe

Although he had early been a good student, starting in his fourth year of Gymnasium his performance tended toward the mediocre.

Wikipedia

Henson, now on the same side as the Anglo-Catholics with whom he had early been in bitter dispute, called the opposition "the Protestant underworld".

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Evans had earlier been substituted.

The Guardian - Sport

McBride had earlier been headed for Blackburn.

The New York Times - Sports

He had earlier been sentenced to 24 years in prison.

The New York Times

He had earlier been fired by the team.

The New York Times - Sports

Mr. Taricani had earlier been fined $85,000, which NBC reimbursed.

The New York Times

They had earlier been instructed to lie about the card.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "had early been" in formal writing. Opt for more common and grammatically sound alternatives like "had previously been" or "had earlier been" for clarity and correctness.

Common error

The error often lies in the incorrect placement of the adverb "early". In English, adverbs typically precede the main verb or follow an auxiliary verb, but "early" is more naturally used in constructions like "earlier" or "previously" when modifying a past action.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "had early been" is to act as an auxiliary verb phrase within a past perfect construction. However, its usage is considered non-standard. While the examples provided by Ludwig showcase its presence in various texts, it's essential to note that more conventional alternatives exist for clarity and grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

20%

News & Media

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Had early been" is a phrase that, while appearing in some sources, is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. Ludwig AI highlights that more appropriate alternatives, like "had previously been" or "had earlier been", provide clarity and correctness. The phrase's intended purpose is to indicate an action occurring before a specific time in the past, but its non-standard nature makes it less effective. Therefore, it's advisable to avoid using "had early been" in formal writing and opt for more conventional phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been earlier

Replaces "early" with "earlier", a more common and grammatically sound construction.

had previously been

Replaces "early" with "previously" for a more standard expression of past occurrence.

had been formerly

Substitutes "early" with "formerly", indicating a prior state or condition.

had been sooner

Uses "sooner" to emphasize that something happened before the expected time.

had originally been

Highlights the initial state or plan, using "originally" to convey the intended beginning.

had been appointed early

Adds "appointed" to specify the act of being assigned or selected in advance.

was appointed sooner

Changes the tense and adds "appointed" to emphasize an earlier-than-expected assignment.

had been prematurely

Replaces "early" with "prematurely" to suggest that something occurred too soon.

had been in advance

Replaces "early" with "in advance" to emphasize prior preparation or action.

had been beforehand

Substitutes "early" with "beforehand", indicating something done or arranged ahead of time.

FAQs

What is a more grammatically correct alternative to "had early been"?

Alternatives such as "had previously been" or "had earlier been" are more standard and widely accepted in English writing.

Is "had early been" ever appropriate to use?

While you might encounter "had early been" in some texts, it's generally considered non-standard. Using more conventional phrasing will improve clarity and credibility.

How can I rewrite a sentence using "had early been" to be more clear?

Instead of saying "The project had early been completed", consider rewriting it as "The project "had been completed early"" or "The project "had been completed previously"".

What's the difference between "had early been" and "had been earlier"?

"Had been earlier" is grammatically sound and expresses that something occurred at a prior time. "Had early been" is not a standard construction; rephrasing the sentence is recommended.