had just ended

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had just ended" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something happened immediately before the present time. For example: The party had just ended when the power went out.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Relationships

War

Events

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The harvest season had just ended.

The New Yorker

Now Ramadan had just ended.

The New York Times - Magazine

The Korean War had just ended.

The Washington Post

The first Gulf War had just ended.

The Guardian - Tech

The national anthem had just ended yesterday.

The New York Times - Sports

The Second World War had just ended.

The New Yorker

It was a Sunday and church services had just ended.

The New York Times

The Liberty's open practice at City College had just ended.

The New York Times - Sports

But Dr. Goodwillie had just ended a long-term relationship.

The New York Times

The horn had just ended the fifth overtime.

The New York Times

Her daily "morning meeting" with her children had just ended.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had just ended" to clearly indicate that an event or activity finished very recently, creating a sense of immediacy.

Common error

Avoid using "has just ended" when referring to a past event. "Had just ended" correctly places the event in the past relative to another past action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had just ended" functions as a past perfect construction, indicating an action that was completed shortly before another action or time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Sports

15%

Academia

3%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Science

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had just ended" is a grammatically sound and commonly used past perfect construction that signifies an action completed immediately before another action in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s suitable for various contexts. Its frequency is high, especially in news and media, and the register is generally neutral. When you need to emphasize that something concluded very recently, "had just ended" is a precise and effective choice. Consider using alternatives like "had recently finished" or "was newly over" for subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had recently finished

Emphasizes the completion aspect with a focus on the time frame.

had only concluded

Uses "concluded" for a more formal tone and "only" to highlight the short time passed.

was newly over

Simple and direct way to express the recent ending of an event.

was freshly concluded

Combines the freshness of the ending with the formality of "concluded".

had scarcely finished

Conveys that something ended moments ago.

had wrapped up just then

Informal and emphasizes the completion or finalization.

had terminated immediately prior

Highly formal, emphasizing the immediate timing and cessation.

had ceased moments before

Uses "ceased" for a more definitive ending, with specific timing.

had stopped not long ago

Focuses on the action of stopping, with a recent timeframe.

had drawn to a close just now

More descriptive and literary, highlighting the finality of the ending.

FAQs

How can I use "had just ended" in a sentence?

Use "had just ended" to show that an event finished shortly before another event in the past. For example, "The concert "had just ended" when the rain started".

What are some alternatives to "had just ended"?

You can use alternatives like "had recently finished", "had only concluded", or "was newly over" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "has just ended" instead of "had just ended"?

"Has just ended" refers to something that finished very recently in the present. "Had just ended" refers to something that finished recently in the past. The correct choice depends on the time frame you're referencing.

What's the difference between "had just ended" and "had ended"?

"Had just ended" emphasizes the immediacy of the ending, while "had ended" simply indicates that something finished at some point in the past. The addition of "just" provides a sense of recency.