had lasted for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had lasted for" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to refer to a past event that went on for a certain duration of time. For example, "The storm had lasted for hours before it finally passed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"The food that I had lasted for a few days.

The Guardian

Our affair had lasted for nearly a decade.

The New Yorker

The local news media reported that the rains had lasted for seven hours on Monday night.

The New York Times

The affair had lasted for years — she was vague about when they'd broken it off.

The New Yorker

Their marriage had lasted for eight years, and the problem wasn't that she wanted children.

The New Yorker

The affair had lasted for years—she was vague about when they'd broken it off.

The New Yorker

He remembered, too, that Mr. I.'s inability to read — his alexia — had lasted for five days and then cleared.

The New Yorker

The war had lasted for three years and one month and resulted in roughly 4,000,000 casualties, including civilians.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"Western Europe began to emerge from an alcoholic haze that had lasted for centuries," Standage writes of the coffeehouse era.

The New Yorker

He said the smoke had lasted for days, and he had smelled the burning bodies from his home.

The New York Times - Magazine

The trial had lasted for 157 trial days, with the court hearing testimony from 30 prosecution witnesses.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing events or conditions, use "had lasted for" to clearly indicate the duration leading up to a specific point in the past. This is especially useful in historical accounts or when detailing the progression of a situation.

Common error

Avoid using "had lasted for" when describing durations that continue into the present. In such cases, use "has lasted for" to reflect the ongoing nature of the event or condition.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had lasted for" functions as part of a past perfect verb phrase, indicating the duration of an action or state that concluded before another point in the past. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

28%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had lasted for" is a grammatically correct and frequently used way to describe the duration of a past event leading up to another point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. Predominantly found in news and media, scientific writing, and Wikipedia, it is versatile enough for both formal and informal contexts. When using this phrase, remember that it refers to a completed duration in the past, and consider alternative phrases like "had continued for" to add nuance to your writing. Avoid confusing it with "has lasted for", which indicates an ongoing duration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had continued for

Replaces 'lasted' with 'continued', emphasizing the ongoing nature of the duration.

had persisted for

Substitutes 'lasted' with 'persisted', suggesting a more tenacious or prolonged duration.

had extended for

Uses 'extended' instead of 'lasted', highlighting the reaching out or lengthening of the duration.

had gone on for

Replaces 'lasted' with 'gone on', providing a more informal way to express the duration.

had endured for

Substitutes 'lasted' with 'endured', implying a duration marked by hardship or difficulty.

had spanned for

Uses 'spanned' instead of 'lasted', indicating the duration covered a specific period or range.

had stretched for

Replaces 'lasted' with 'stretched', visualizing the duration as a line extending over time.

had held out for

Implies resilience or resistance during the duration.

had been in effect for

Focuses on the period something was active or operational.

had been ongoing for

Emphasizes a process that never stopped during the duration.

FAQs

How can I use "had lasted for" in a sentence?

Use "had lasted for" to describe how long something continued up to a specific point in the past. For example, "The siege "had lasted for" a year before the city fell."

What are some alternatives to "had lasted for"?

You can use phrases like "had continued for", "had persisted for", or "had gone on for" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "has lasted for" and "had lasted for"?

"Has lasted for" indicates a duration that began in the past and continues to the present, while "had lasted for" describes a duration that was completed before a specific point in the past. For example, "The drought "has lasted for" three months" (still ongoing) versus "The drought "had lasted for" three months before the rains came" (now over).

Is it correct to say "the meeting had lasted from 2 PM to 4 PM" or "the meeting lasted from 2 PM to 4 PM"?

Both are correct. "The meeting lasted from 2 PM to 4 PM" is a simple statement of fact. "The meeting "had lasted from" 2 PM to 4 PM" would be used if you were then going on to discuss something that happened after the meeting, emphasizing its duration in relation to that subsequent event.