had given

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had given" is correct and usable in written English.
Generally speaking, it is used in the past perfect tense. An example sentence could be "He had given her a heartfelt apology before she walked out."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Haysom had given hers.

The New Yorker

Who had given the help?

The New Yorker

He had given them hope.

Independent

She had given him hope".

The New Yorker

He had given her hope.

The New Yorker

He had given his word".

The Economist

"Russia had given warning.

The Guardian

She had given him absolutely everything.

The New Yorker

"I had given up," she said.

The New York Times

(She had given him a false name).

The New Yorker

And who had given it to her?

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had given" to clearly indicate that the act of giving occurred before another point in the past. This helps establish a clear sequence of events in your narrative.

Common error

Avoid using "had given" when a simple past tense ("gave") is sufficient. "Had given" is necessary only when you need to emphasize that the giving action happened before another action in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had given" functions as the past perfect form of the verb "give". It indicates an action of providing or bestowing something that was completed before another action or point in time in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is used in the past perfect tense.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had given" is the past perfect form of "give", used to indicate that an act of giving occurred before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI indicates, it’s grammatically correct and widely used. It appears most frequently in News & Media contexts, and while versatile, it’s crucial to use it only when emphasizing the sequence of past events. Related phrases include "provided", "bestowed", and "granted", each offering slightly different nuances. Use "had given" to maintain clarity in your writing when delineating past actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

provided

Focuses on the action of supplying or making something available.

bestowed

Implies a formal or ceremonial giving of something.

granted

Suggests permission or authorization to have something.

offered

Highlights the act of presenting something for acceptance or rejection.

supplied

Emphasizes the act of furnishing or equipping someone with something needed.

presented

Focuses on the act of formally introducing or giving something.

imparted

Suggests communicating knowledge or a quality.

conferred

Implies bestowing a title, degree, or right.

handed over

Emphasizes the physical act of transferring something.

passed on

Suggests giving something, often knowledge or a trait, to the next generation or person.

FAQs

How do I use "had given" in a sentence?

Use "had given" to indicate an action of giving that was completed before another action in the past. For example, "She "had given" him the book before he left for vacation".

What can I say instead of "had given"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "provided", "bestowed", or "granted". The best choice depends on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "had gave" grammatically correct?

No, "had gave" is grammatically incorrect. The correct past perfect form is "had given", where "given" is the past participle of "give".

What is the difference between "gave" and "had given"?

"Gave" is the simple past tense and describes a completed action in the past. "Had given" is the past perfect tense and describes an action completed before another point in the past. For example, "He gave her a gift" versus "He "had given" her a gift before she asked for one".