had felt that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had felt that" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a past emotional or sensory experience that was perceived before another past event. Example: "She had felt that something was off ever since she entered the room."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He had felt that: that a deer was acknowledging and thanking him.

The New Yorker

Beltran said he had felt that way since the end of last season.

The New York Times - Sports

Sanchez danced around that theory during his Tuesday news conference, but teammates confirmed he had felt that way at different points this season.

The New York Times - Sports

Forbes: You had felt that way for a long time.

Forbes

Only a quarter of men and women who had taken part in a 1951 survey had felt that way.

BBC

Wish the folks gathered in Copenhagen had felt that way.

Huffington Post

Wish the folks in Copenhagen had felt that way, too.

Huffington Post

When Angela Lansbury received her Tony she confirmed everything I had felt that evening.

Huffington Post

Apparently he had felt that way our entire friendship and I was oblivious the entire time.

Huffington Post

Unfortunately, by the time "tonight" would roll around, I'd have forgotten how awful I had felt that morning.

HuffPost

So many times I had felt that instead of relieving the stress, this process caused me more stress!

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had felt that" to clearly indicate a past perception or emotion that influenced a subsequent action or decision. This helps establish a cause-and-effect relationship in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "had felt that" when a simple past tense is sufficient and more concise. For example, instead of "He had felt that he was right, so he argued fiercely", consider "He felt he was right, so he argued fiercely."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had felt that" functions as a reporting clause, introducing a subordinate clause that expresses a thought, feeling, or perception experienced in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

15%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had felt that" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It effectively conveys past feelings, perceptions, or beliefs, often preceding and influencing subsequent actions. It is most commonly encountered in news and media contexts but also appears in scientific, encyclopedic, and other forms of writing. When using this phrase, ensure that the tense sequence is accurate to avoid confusion. Consider using alternatives like "had sensed that" or "had believed that" to add nuance to your writing, depending on the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had sensed that

Emphasizes intuition or a non-cognitive feeling, rather than a reasoned conclusion.

had believed that

Focuses on a conviction or acceptance of something as true, rather than a feeling.

had perceived that

Highlights an awareness or understanding gained through the senses or intellect.

had understood that

Stresses comprehension or grasping the meaning of something.

had recognized that

Implies acknowledging or identifying something previously unknown or unclear.

had known that

Focuses on a state of certainty or established knowledge.

had suspected that

Suggests a feeling of doubt or mistrust, without firm evidence.

had imagined that

Implies forming a mental image or concept, possibly without a basis in reality.

had assumed that

Indicates taking something for granted or accepting it as true without proof.

had gathered that

Suggests inferring or deducing something from available information.

FAQs

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

Use "had felt that" to express a past emotion, sensation, or belief that occurred before another event in the past. For example, "She "had felt that" something was wrong before the accident happened."

What are some alternatives to "had felt that"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "had sensed that", "had believed that", or "had suspected that" to express similar ideas with subtle differences in meaning.

Is it always necessary to use the past perfect tense with "had felt that"?

Yes, "had felt" is the past perfect form of "feel". It's used to indicate that the feeling occurred before another action or time in the past. Using the simple past tense "felt that" may alter the intended meaning and chronological order of events.

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

"Had felt that" indicates a feeling experienced before a specific point in the past, while "felt that" describes a feeling experienced at a specific point in the past. The past perfect emphasizes the sequence of events.