had lent

USAGE SUMMARY

"had lent" is a correct and usable form of the past perfect verb tense (sometimes called past perfect progressive).
You would use this when indicating an action that was completed prior to some other past event. For example: My mother had lent me her car last week when I needed it for a job interview.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

whose institution had lent most of the items on display.

The New Yorker

His discovery, he told Blitzer, had lent him new purpose.

The New Yorker

Banks that had lent money to property developers wobbled.

The Economist

The month earlier, she had lent her campaign $5 million.

The New York Times

Recently, he related, he had lent his support to another cause.

The New York Times - Arts

They had gotten into a dispute about money Galloway had lent him, he said.

The New York Times - Sports

Perhaps they had lent too much, in one form or another.

The Economist

It had lent primarily to real estate developers, using money it raised overseas.

The New York Times

She had lent them novels — Nancy Mitford and Dodie Smith — and showed them photographs of Paris.

The New Yorker

By 2004 they had lent roughly $2 billion in this way.

The Economist

The problem was particularly acute in Latin America, where U.S. banks had lent aggressively.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the nuance between "lent" and "loaned". While often interchangeable, "loaned" can sometimes imply a more formal or financial arrangement.

Common error

Avoid using "had lent" when the lending action is the primary focus of the sentence and not preceding another past event. In such cases, the simple past tense ("lent") is more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had lent" functions as the past perfect tense of the verb "lend". According to Ludwig AI, this indicates an action of lending completed before another action in the past. Examples from Ludwig show it being used to describe prior financial transactions, acts of generosity, or temporary provisions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Encyclopedias

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had lent" is the past perfect tense of "lend", used to indicate that an act of lending occurred before another event in the past. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness, and its prevalence across diverse sources, particularly in news media, encyclopedias, and scientific publications, signifies its widespread acceptance. When writing, ensure clarity in tense sequencing and be mindful of the subtle distinctions between "lent" and "had loaned". By using this phrase with precision, you can effectively convey temporal relationships in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had loaned

Replaces "lent" with "loaned", which is a synonym with a slightly more formal tone.

had provided temporarily

Replaces the single word with a phrase that makes it explicit the action of "lending" is meant to be only for a limited period of time.

had let someone borrow

Breaks down "lent" into a more descriptive phrase, emphasizing the act of allowing someone to use something.

had given the use of

A more formal way to express the idea of lending, focusing on granting usage rights.

had put at someone's disposal

Emphasizes making something available for use, with a more formal and generous tone.

had accommodated with

Focuses on providing something as a helpful gesture or favor.

had supplied on credit

If the context is financial, this highlights providing something with an expectation of future repayment.

had entrusted temporarily

Implies a level of trust and responsibility in allowing someone to use something.

had made available

A more general phrase indicating that something was accessible for someone's use.

had passed on for temporary use

Highlights the temporary nature of the transfer and the passing of the item from one person to another.

FAQs

How is "had lent" used in a sentence?

"Had lent" indicates that an action of lending occurred before another action in the past. For example, "She "had lent" me her book, so I was able to study for the exam" shows the lending preceded the studying.

What's the difference between "had lent" and "lent"?

"Had lent" is the past perfect tense, used to show that an action was completed before another action in the past. "Lent" is the simple past tense, used for a single, completed action in the past. For example, "She "had lent" me the car before I crashed it" vs. "She "lent" me the car yesterday."

What are some alternatives to "had lent"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "had loaned", "had provided temporarily", or "had let borrow" to express a similar meaning.

When is it incorrect to use "had lent"?

It's incorrect to use "had lent" if there's no subsequent past action being referred to. If you're simply stating that someone lent something, using "lent" is sufficient. For instance, "She "lent" me her notes" is correct, but "She "had lent" me her notes" would only be correct if followed by another past action.