had not allowed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had not allowed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that permission or acceptance was not granted in the past. Example: "She had not allowed her children to play outside after dark."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He had not allowed it.

The New York Times

He had not allowed for the critics.

The Guardian - Books

Melancon, incredibly, had not allowed a homer since April 14.

The New York Times - Sports

Memphis had not allowed 100 points since the season opener.

The New York Times - Sports

Madson had not allowed a run in 13 innings.

The New York Times - Sports

Batista had not allowed a hit since the first inning.

The New York Times - Sports

Chapman had not allowed an earned run in a club-record 24 appearances, covering 29 innings.

The New York Times - Sports

Before Wednesday, Harvey had not allowed a hit before the third inning in any game.

The New York Times - Sports

The BBC said that rebels had not allowed its journalists to look inside the boxes.

The New York Times

The local organizing committee had not allowed any teams to train on the field.

The New York Times

But until this week, the authorities had not allowed relatives to visit him.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had not allowed", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what was not given permission, and what the consequences or implications of that denial were. This ensures clarity and strengthens the impact of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "had not allowed" without specifying the extent or duration of the prohibition. Clearly define whether the restriction was temporary, situational, or absolute to prevent misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had not allowed" functions as a past perfect construction indicating that permission or acceptance was withheld before a specific point in the past. This structure is often used to provide context or background information. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had not allowed" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to indicate a past denial of permission or prevention. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and widespread usage across various reputable sources, primarily within news and media contexts. When writing, clarity is paramount: specify who or what was not allowed and the relevant context to enhance comprehension. While alternatives like "did not permit" or "prevented from" exist, "had not allowed" offers a versatile option for expressing past prohibitions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not permit

Replaces "allowed" with "permit", indicating a more formal denial of permission.

denied permission

Directly states the denial of permission.

refused to allow

Emphasizes the refusal to grant permission.

prohibited from

Implies a formal ban or prohibition against an action.

did not authorize

Focuses on the lack of authorization for an action.

did not let

Uses a more informal and direct verb "let" to convey the lack of permission.

would not consent to

Indicates a refusal to give consent or agreement.

prevented from

Shifts the focus to the act of preventing something from happening.

vetoed the possibility of

Implies a forceful rejection of an action or idea.

put a stop to

Suggests an action taken to halt or prevent something.

FAQs

How can I use "had not allowed" in a sentence?

Use "had not allowed" to indicate that permission or acceptance was not granted in the past. For example, "The teacher "had not allowed" students to use their phones during the exam."

What are some alternatives to "had not allowed"?

You can use alternatives such as "did not permit", "prevented from", or "refused to allow" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "didn't allow" instead of "had not allowed"?

Both "didn't allow" and "had not allowed" are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Didn't allow" is simple past tense, while "had not allowed" is past perfect, which implies an action completed before another point in the past.

What is the difference between "had not allowed" and "was not allowed"?

"Had not allowed" indicates that someone refused permission, while "was not allowed" suggests that permission was denied or prohibited. For instance, "The government "had not allowed" protests" means the government actively prevented them. "Protests "were not allowed"" simply states the protests were prohibited, without specifying who did the prohibiting.