had formerly received

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had formerly received" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was received in the past before a certain point in time. Example: "The documents had formerly received approval from the board before the changes were made."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

YAHOO, which has rolled out 17 paid services to consumers in the last year, has been among the most aggressive businesses in getting people to pay for online services and information they had formerly received free.

The New York Times

As individuals with indications for benzodiazepines might be at a higher risk of death from overdose, 8 we distinguished periods during which individuals were currently receiving benzodiazepines from periods when they had formerly received them to help deal with unmeasured confounding.

British Medical Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

As a result, PU processes decoding, utilizing the coefficients that have been changed partly due to the channel and the linear equation variables it has formerly received [4].

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

An aging population drives up the population average of HCE from which risk adjustment contributions are measured, and age groups which have formerly received payments from risk adjustment may become net-contributors in subsequent years.

Health Economics Review

Although the UK's extension request has not been formerly received yet, No 10 has announced that the prime minister will not seek a long extension.

The Guardian - Opinion

Still, it was surprising to note that some of the women, especially those who had developed physical illness, received material support from friends who had formerly gossiped about their HIV-positive status.

BMC Public Health

But the Chinese traders who had formerly supplied the venders were unwilling to sell to North Koreans without receiving cash up front.

The New Yorker

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

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had formerly received" to clearly indicate that something was received in the past, but is no longer being received currently. This is especially useful in describing changes in status or benefits.

Common error

Avoid using "had formerly received" when you simply mean something was received in the past and is still being received. The "formerly" specifies that the reception is no longer ongoing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had formerly received" functions as a past perfect construction indicating an action that was completed before a specific time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had formerly received" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express that something was received in the past but is no longer being received. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and applicability, particularly in science and news contexts. While not extremely common, it's a useful phrase for clearly indicating a change in status. To avoid errors, ensure you are accurately conveying a discontinued state of reception. Consider alternatives like "previously obtained" or "used to be given" if a simpler expression suffices.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previously obtained

Replaces "received" with "obtained" and "formerly" with "previously", emphasizing the act of getting something.

had earlier been given

Uses "given" instead of "received" and "earlier" for "formerly", focusing on the act of giving.

formerly possessed

Shifts the focus to possession rather than reception, implying ownership.

once was awarded

Implies a more formal bestowal, like a prize or honor.

had at one time accepted

Emphasizes the act of acceptance in the past.

had historically been granted

Uses historically and granted implying the reception was part of a record or law.

had in the past been provided with

More verbose, emphasizing the act of providing.

used to be in receipt of

More formal and emphasizes the state of being in receipt.

had been a beneficiary of

Highlights the benefit received rather than the act of receiving.

at one point was the recipient of

Formal and emphasizes the role of being a recipient.

FAQs

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

Use "had formerly received" to indicate that someone or something received something in the past but no longer does. For example, "The organization had formerly received funding from the government, but that funding has now been discontinued."

What's a more straightforward alternative to "had formerly received"?

Depending on the context, you could use simpler phrases like "previously received" or "used to receive". However, "had formerly received" provides a specific nuance of a past state that no longer exists.

Is "had formerly received" more formal than "used to receive"?

Yes, "had formerly received" is generally considered more formal than "used to receive". The former is better suited for academic or professional writing, while the latter is acceptable in more casual contexts.

When should I use "had formerly received" instead of "had already received"?

"Had already received" simply indicates that something was received before a certain point in time. "Had formerly received" specifies that the reception is no longer ongoing. The choice depends on whether you need to emphasize the discontinued nature of the reception.