had initially started

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had initially started" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action began at an earlier time before another action or event occurred. Example: "The project had initially started as a small initiative before it grew into a large-scale operation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

So he had initially started his ward in the corridor of a hospital building, and then later colonised another slightly rundown ward that was really at the back of the hospital next to the incinerator.

The Guardian

The symptom had initially started with vomiting just prior to the abdominal pain.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

In our qualitative exploratory study, data saturation was reached for the study population, but as the main study had initially started in the large urban district of Lille, all the interviewed GPs were working there, with loose associations between GPs and academic specialists from the 3 academic hospitals.

BMC Family Practice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

But once you arrive at 20, things change quite a bit from when you've initially started.

Forbes

He has missed most of the past season with a knee injury but will hope to reignite his career at the Pirates having initially started his career as an academy player at Bath.

BBC

After all, for many Pinterest users, their social graph on the site may have initially started off as a duplicate of Facebook's, but today, Pinterest users' social graphs have likely changed and grown because Facebook and Pinterest are used for different purposes.

TechCrunch

What might have initially started as a form of vigilante resource management has since escalated to full-scale and heavily armed piracy, often under the justification of protecting rights to fishing grounds.

Huffington Post

Adam Smith, who had initially avoided arrest, started his own operation, managing the money of a Galleon investor.

The New Yorker

Often, participants of such programmes only realize what it means to be an entrepreneur during the course, and as such, their aspirations change because of this additional knowledge, even discouraging some who had initially planned to start their own business (Oosterbeek et al. 2010).

IZA Journal of Development and Migration

The Coalition Against NATO/G8 protest group had initially planned to start their May 20 march there, but will now launch their action from Grant Park's Petrillo Music Shell.

Huffington Post

But Mr. Sharpton's description of his campaign goals is far different from what he had initially forecast, when he started campaigning for votes nationwide.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had initially started" to clearly indicate that an action or process began at a specific point in the past before another event occurred. This helps establish a timeline and provides context for the sequence of events.

Common error

Avoid using "had initially started" when describing the current state without acknowledging subsequent changes or developments. Ensure the context reflects that the initial start has evolved or been superseded.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had initially started" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. It indicates an action that began at some point in the past and was completed before another action or time in the past. Ludwig confirms this is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had initially started" is a grammatically sound phrase used to indicate an action that began in the past before another event. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. While not overly common, it finds appropriate use across news, scientific, and academic contexts. When using this phrase, ensure you're providing context for subsequent developments, as it highlights a starting point within a sequence of events. Alternatives like "had originally begun" or "had first initiated" can provide stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had originally begun

Replaces "initially started" with "originally begun", emphasizing the beginning phase.

had first initiated

Substitutes "initially started" with "first initiated", highlighting the primary action.

had commenced initially

Changes the word order and uses "commenced" instead of "started", providing a more formal tone.

had formerly started

Uses "formerly started" in place of "initially started", indicating a previous beginning.

had preliminary begun

Uses "preliminary begun" to stress the first actions.

had begun in the beginning

Rephrases to emphasize the start, being more verbose.

had started to begin with

Reorders the phrase and uses "to begin with" for emphasis.

had opened originally

Replaces "started" with "opened", implying the beginning of something established.

had pioneered initially

Uses "pioneered" instead of "started", giving an idea of first action.

had essentially started

Replaces "initially" with "essentially", focusing on the core of the start.

FAQs

How can I use "had initially started" in a sentence?

You can use "had initially started" to describe an action that began in the past, before something else happened. For example: "The project "had initially started" as a small initiative, but it quickly grew into a major undertaking."

What are some alternatives to using "had initially started"?

Alternatives include "had originally begun", "had first initiated", or "had formerly started", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it redundant to say "had initially started to begin with"?

Yes, using "to begin with" in conjunction with "had initially started" can be redundant. It's better to choose one or the other for clarity and conciseness.

What is the difference between "had initially started" and "initially started"?

"Had initially started" is in the past perfect tense, indicating an action completed before another point in the past. "Initially started" is in the simple past tense and does not necessarily imply a subsequent event. For instance, "The business "initially started" in 2010" simply states when it began, while "The business "had initially started" in 2010, but faced challenges later" implies further developments.