had gotten ready

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had gotten ready" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that someone has prepared or made themselves ready for something in the past. Example: "By the time the guests arrived, we had gotten ready for the party."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Ms. Simpson, who had gotten "ready in a conference room," she said, was turning a new leaf.

The New York Times

Before playing on Aug. 5 at Mr. Obama's 55th birthday party, the singer Leon Bridges said Mr. Obama excitedly told him that he had "gotten ready" that morning by listening to Mr. Bridges's tune "Smooth Sailin'".

The New York Times

Later that night, after she had gotten ready for bed, Weinstein allegedly pounded on her door, demanding to be let in.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Do this again after you have gotten ready for the day.

WikiHow

Plus, your parents will be so proud that you have gotten ready by the time they are eating breakfast.

WikiHow

The Treasury disputes the claim, pointing out that councils in other parts of the UK have got ready for the changes.

BBC

When you're sure that it has, get ready to paint.

WikiHow

"They had got themselves all ready.

BBC

I've got to get ready for the next day".

The New York Times

We've got to get ready to go down there.

The New York Times

"We've got to get ready for 2012," Mr. Strawn said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had gotten ready" to clearly indicate that the preparation occurred before another event in the past. This helps establish a clear sequence of events.

Common error

Avoid using the simple past tense ("got ready") when you need to emphasize that the preparation was completed before another action in the past. "Had gotten ready" provides a clearer timeline.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had gotten ready" functions as a past perfect construction, indicating an action completed before another point in the past. It establishes a clear sequence of events, as Ludwig AI explained, by showing that the preparation preceded a subsequent event. For instance, "After she had gotten ready, she left."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had gotten ready" is a grammatically correct past perfect construction used to indicate that the action of preparing was completed before another event in the past. As Ludwig AI indicates, it serves to establish a clear sequence of events. Though not overly frequent, occurring mostly in News & Media and Wiki contexts, its purpose is to emphasize the completion of preparations. Alternative phrases such as "had prepared" or "had made preparations" offer similar meanings, and should be chosen depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had prepared

Emphasizes the action of preparing rather than the state of readiness.

had readied

A more concise and formal alternative, implying a similar state of being prepared.

had made preparations

Highlights the process of making preparations, suggesting a more involved effort.

had become ready

Focuses on the transition to a state of readiness.

had been prepared

Passive voice construction emphasizing the state of being prepared by an external action.

had been made ready

Similar to "had been prepared", emphasizing the action done to achieve readiness.

was ready

Simpler past tense indicating a state of readiness at a specific time, without emphasizing the process of getting ready.

had equipped themselves

Implies providing oneself with necessary items for readiness, often for a specific task or event.

had geared up

Suggests preparing with enthusiasm or anticipation, often for a challenging task.

had set the stage

Metaphorical phrase indicating readiness for an event or situation, often implying careful planning.

FAQs

How do I use "had gotten ready" in a sentence?

Use "had gotten ready" to show that the action of preparing was completed before another event in the past. For example, "After she "had gotten ready", she went to the party."

What's the difference between "had gotten ready" and "got ready"?

"Had gotten ready" indicates that the preparation was completed before another action in the past, while "got ready" simply indicates the action of preparing in the past. For example, "She "got ready" and went to the party" doesn't explicitly state the sequence of events.

What are some alternatives to "had gotten ready"?

You can use alternatives like "had prepared", "had readied", or "had made preparations" depending on the context.

Is "had gotten ready" formal or informal?

"Had gotten ready" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. The formality largely depends on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of the writing.