had formerly distributed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had formerly distributed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was distributed in the past before a certain point in time. Example: "The organization had formerly distributed pamphlets to raise awareness about the issue."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

It had formerly been 6,000.

The New York Times

He had he had formerly published in Nashville, Tennesee.

The New Yorker

WHO had formerly controlled the area and its people?

The New York Times

Scotland had formerly been strong Labour Party territory.

Vice

Students had formerly been housed at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel.

Wikipedia

Melnick had formerly served as the publicist for the series.

Wikipedia

These subspecies have been recognised: * † A. b. buselaphus (Pallas, 1766), the Bubal hartebeest or northern hartebeest, was formerly distributed in northern Africa.

Wikipedia

Julian formerly distributed invitations for family and friends for his own "Hatch Day" celebration each year.

Huffington Post

Reel Affirmations formerly distributed a Plant-A-Seed filmmaker grant at the end of each festival.

Wikipedia

This latter species was formerly distributed throughout the island and exhibited regional variation in shell phenotype [ 31], allozyme profile [ 32] and mitochondrial (mt) genetic structure [ 25, 27].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Two staff members have formerly advised the group.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had formerly distributed", ensure the context clearly establishes the time frame to which you are referring, making it clear that the distribution occurred before a specific point in the past.

Common error

Avoid using "had formerly distributed" in informal contexts. Simpler phrases like "used to distribute" or "previously distributed" are often more appropriate for everyday communication.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had formerly distributed" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. It describes an action of distributing something that occurred before a specific point in the past. Based on Ludwig AI's analysis, the phrase indicates a completed action that preceded another action or time.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had formerly distributed" is a grammatically correct verb phrase indicating a past action of distributing something before a specific time. As Ludwig AI analysis show, while correct, its usage is infrequent and may sound overly formal in some contexts. Consider more common alternatives like "previously distributed" or "used to distribute" for clarity and naturalness. Ensure the context clarifies the timeframe for effective communication. According to Ludwig, it's best suited for formal and professional settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previously distributed

Replaces "formerly" with "previously", offering a more common synonym with almost identical meaning.

had distributed in the past

Expands on "formerly" to explicitly state "in the past", clarifying the temporal aspect.

once distributed

Uses "once" to indicate a past action, providing a more concise alternative.

had at one time distributed

Adds "at one time" for emphasis, highlighting that the distribution occurred at a specific point in the past.

had earlier distributed

Substitutes "formerly" with "earlier", indicating a distribution that took place sooner.

had been distributing

Changes the verb tense to past perfect continuous, emphasizing the duration of the distribution activity in the past before another point in time.

used to distribute

Expresses a past habit or state using "used to", implying that distribution is no longer occurring.

had distributed before

Adds "before" to explicitly indicate that the distribution occurred prior to a specific time.

had previously supplied

Replaces "distributed" with "supplied", offering a synonym that focuses on providing something.

had at first distributed

Specifies that the distribution occurred "at first", suggesting an initial action that may have changed later.

FAQs

What does "had formerly distributed" mean?

The phrase "had formerly distributed" means that something was distributed at some point in the past before a specific time or event. It indicates a past action of distributing something that is no longer current.

How can I use "had formerly distributed" in a sentence?

You can use "had formerly distributed" to describe a past activity of distribution. For example: "The organization "had formerly distributed" pamphlets to raise awareness before switching to digital campaigns."

Which is a better alternative to "had formerly distributed"?

Alternatives like "previously distributed" or "used to distribute" might be better, depending on the context. They are more common and generally easier to understand.

What's the difference between "had formerly distributed" and "had distributed"?

"Had distributed" simply indicates that something was distributed in the past. "Had formerly distributed" specifies that the distribution occurred at some earlier time and is no longer the current practice.