had maintained for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had maintained for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a continuous action or state that was upheld over a specific period of time in the past. Example: "She had maintained for several years that the project would succeed despite the challenges."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Mr. O'Neill, had maintained for months that he would run.

The New York Times

And a few hours after Shell disclosed the conclusions of its inquiry, Standard & Poor's stripped it of the AAA credit rating it had maintained for 14 years.

The New York Times

General Kuzmuk, one of Mr. Kuchma's close allies, had maintained for five days after the tragedy that his military could not have caused the crash.

The New York Times

What has been indisputably upset by the boom is the careful balance of ranching, drilling, and tourism that the community had maintained for almost a hundred years.

The New Yorker

Acting Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco, who had maintained for many weeks that he would leave office next month with a surplus, has concurred in predictions of a shortfall.

The New York Times

Ten days ago, Parlier lost the lead he had maintained for most of the first third of the race because of a tactical error.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Ms. Kistler has maintained for years that dancing Balanchine ballets makes one a Balanchine dancer.

The New York Times - Arts

He and other military commanders have maintained for months that the conditions for national reconciliation have been met.

The New York Times

In fact, Mr. Vorpahl has never had a license, and has maintained for years that he does not need one.

The New York Times

But the league has maintained for the past year that it does not have to bargain over this issue.

The New York Times - Sports

The I.R.A. has maintained for decades that McConville was murdered because she had been supplying information to the British Army.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase, ensure that the context clearly establishes the timeframe during which the action or belief was maintained. This provides clarity and strengthens the impact of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "had maintained for" when a simple past tense or present perfect tense is more appropriate. "Had maintained" specifically refers to a past action completed before another point in the past. Ensure this temporal relationship is clear in your sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had maintained for" functions as part of a verb phrase in the past perfect tense, indicating an action or state that persisted for a duration before a specific point in the past. This is confirmed by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had maintained for" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a past action or state that was upheld consistently over a period before another point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. Its frequency is common across various contexts, particularly in news, academia, and science. When using this phrase, ensure the temporal relationship is clear and avoid using it when a simpler tense would suffice. Alternatives such as "had upheld for" or "had sustained for" may be used to add subtle nuances to your writing. Remember to emphasize the timeframe to provide clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had upheld for

Replaces "maintained" with "upheld", focusing on actively supporting something over time.

had sustained for

Replaces "maintained" with "sustained", emphasizing the act of keeping something in existence over a duration.

had preserved for

Replaces "maintained" with "preserved", highlighting the act of keeping something intact over a period.

had kept up for

Uses the phrasal verb "kept up" instead of "maintained", suggesting continued effort to maintain something.

had continued for

Shifts the focus to the continuation of an action or state, rather than the act of maintaining.

had retained for

Uses "retained" instead of "maintained", suggesting keeping possession of something over a period.

had held onto for

Uses the phrasal verb "held onto" instead of "maintained", emphasizing the act of clinging to something.

had adhered to for

Replaces "maintained" with "adhered to", focusing on compliance with a rule or standard over time.

had stood by for

Replaces "maintained" with "stood by", suggesting loyalty or support for something over a period.

had championed for

Uses "championed" to describe someone who defends a cause for a period of time.

FAQs

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

Use "had maintained for" to describe a state, belief, or practice someone upheld consistently over a period of time until some point in the past. For example, "She "had maintained for" years that the earth was flat, until scientific evidence changed her mind."

What are some alternatives to "had maintained for"?

You can use alternatives like "had upheld for", "had sustained for", or "had preserved for" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "has maintained for" instead of "had maintained for"?

The phrase "has maintained for" is grammatically incorrect. You should use "has maintained" to describe a continuous action or state up to the present, without specifying a duration, or "has been maintaining for" to emphasize duration up to the present.

What is the difference between "had maintained" and "had been maintaining"?

"Had maintained" indicates a completed action or state before a specific point in the past, while "had been maintaining" suggests a continuous action over a period leading up to a specific point in the past. The latter emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.