had formerly acquired

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had formerly acquired" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was obtained in the past before a certain point in time. Example: "The company had formerly acquired several smaller firms to expand its market reach."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Ms. Findlen, a historian at Stanford University, suggests that knowledge, which had formerly been acquired from books, began to be created "by a community of collectors, experimenters and visitors".

The New York Times - Arts

It had formerly been assumed that any officer who served long enough with troops in the field would automatically acquire qualifications for higher command, an illusion which had led to tragic bungling in the Spanish-American War.

The New Yorker

It had formerly been 6,000.

The New York Times

Once achieving a state of Clear, the individual faces challenges with a newly acquired demeanor of calm in which he or she reacts reasonably to situations that would've formerly provoked an emotional response.

Huffington Post

The boys, believed by some to have magical powers, had acquired near-legendary status as leaders of an offshoot of the Karen National Union, an ethnic minority insurgent group that has been battling the central government in Myanmar, formerly Burma, for decades.

Los Angeles Times

A move is most likely to come from the main trade players, with Trinity Mirror showing the most enthusiasm having last year acquired GMG Regional Media, formerly part of the group that publishes the Guardian and home to the Manchester Evening News and 30 other titles.

The Guardian

Outsourcing marketplace Freelancer.com (formerly GetAFreelancer) has acquired its much smaller German counterpart, Freelancer.de.

TechCrunch

File-sharing company Hightail (formerly YouSendIt), has acquired startup AdeptCloud, a file sharing and collaboration company focused on security, control and privacy.

TechCrunch

In the past decade, several studies have shown that many monopartite begomoviruses have acquired a betasatellite, formerly called DNAβ, and βC1, the sole betasatellite-encoded protein, plays essential roles in symptom induction, in suppression of transcriptional and posttranscriptional gene silencing, and also involves in suppression of selected jasmonic acid responses [ 25- 29].

BMC Plant Biology

In that Keenan has often acquired players he formerly coached for his new teams, it seems logical to wonder if he will covet certain playoff-tested Rangers like left wing Adam Graves, goalie Mike Richter and even defenseman Brian Leetch, who would have to waive a no-trade clause in his contract.

The New York Times - Sports

In this formerly nomadic society, which had only recently acquired the habit of settlement, princes moved around with soldiers, retainers and relations.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had formerly acquired" to clearly indicate that an acquisition occurred before a specific point in the past, providing context to a current situation or state.

Common error

Avoid using "had formerly acquired" when simple past tense ("formerly acquired") or present perfect ("has formerly acquired") would be more appropriate, as overuse of past perfect can make writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had formerly acquired" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, indicating an action (acquiring) completed before another point in the past. While Ludwig confirms its correctness, its lack of direct examples suggests more common alternatives might exist.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had formerly acquired" is a grammatically correct past perfect phrase used to indicate an action completed before another point in the past. As Ludwig points out, its correctness is confirmed, but it has a low frequency. Consider alternative phrases like "had previously obtained" or "had earlier gained" for simpler expression. When using "had formerly acquired", be sure that you are using it in the correct tense and to signal an action completed before another point in time. This phrase is best suited for neutral to formal contexts where precise historical information is important.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had previously obtained

Replaces "formerly acquired" with a more direct synonym for both words, focusing on prior attainment.

had earlier gained

Substitutes "formerly" with "earlier" and "acquired" with "gained", suggesting a slightly less formal tone.

had once possessed

Emphasizes a past state of possession, implying a potential loss of what was acquired.

had at one time secured

Highlights the effort involved in obtaining something in the past, using "secured" instead of "acquired".

had in the past attained

Formally replaces "formerly" with "in the past" and "acquired" with "attained", increasing the level of formality.

had theretofore secured

Uses a more archaic form of "formerly" ("theretofore") to indicate the past nature of acquiring.

had antecedently secured

Another way to indicate that acquisition happened earlier.

had anciently secured

Replaces formerly and acquired with a more archaic and unique approach.

had hitherto obtained

Utilizes the word hitherto to show the past.

had then possessed

By using then it shows a moment in the past when something was in their possession.

FAQs

How do I use "had formerly acquired" in a sentence?

Use "had formerly acquired" to describe an action completed before another point in the past. For example, "The company had formerly acquired several smaller firms before its merger with the industry leader."

What can I say instead of "had formerly acquired"?

You can use alternatives like "had previously obtained", "had earlier gained", or "had once possessed" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct: "had formerly acquired" or "formerly acquired"?

Both are grammatically correct, but they indicate different time frames. Use "had formerly acquired" for actions completed before another point in the past, and "formerly acquired" for a past action with no specific reference point.

What is the difference between "had formerly acquired" and "has formerly acquired"?

"Had formerly acquired" indicates an action completed before a specific time in the past. "Has formerly acquired" is grammatically incorrect; "has previously acquired" is an acceptable alternative, indicating that something has been acquired at some point in the past up to the present.