had not received

USAGE SUMMARY

"had not received" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when referring to an event in the past that did not happen. For example: "I had not received the package before the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

He said he had not received them.

The New York Times - Sports

I swore I had not received them.

The New York Times

(We had not received any).

The New York Times

Officials had not received any other threats.

The New York Times

At 10 10, we still had not received our soup.

The New York Times

Goodell said he had not received the study.

The New York Times - Sports

She said she had not received the earlier warnings.

The New York Times

The new law had not received much attention.

The Economist

Apparently these senators had not received the immigration unanimity memo.

The New Yorker

They said they had not received key government reports.

The New York Times

He said Tuesday that he had not received a response.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had not received" to describe situations where something was expected in the past but didn't arrive. Example: "The package had not received by the due date, causing concern."

Common error

Avoid using "had not received" when referring to present situations; use "has not received" instead. For instance, "She has not received the package yet" is correct for the present, while "She had not received the package by yesterday" is correct for a past event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had not received" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. It indicates the non-receipt of something before a specific point in the past. Ludwig examples confirm its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

48%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had not received" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase functioning as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. Ludwig AI confirms its usage to indicate the non-receipt of something before a specific time in the past, across diverse contexts ranging from News & Media to Science, as well as Formal and Business domains. This guide provided by Ludwig offers a detailed analysis of its usage, common errors to avoid, and helpful alternatives, making it a valuable resource for writers aiming for clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not get

More informal alternative, using simpler vocabulary.

never obtained

Emphasizes the lack of acquisition.

was not given

Highlights the lack of being provided something.

failed to receive

Focuses on the failure or inability to receive.

wasn't in receipt of

A more formal way of saying 'did not receive'.

was lacking

Describes a state of absence of something previously expected.

was without

Similar to 'lacking' but can sometimes indicate a temporary condition.

had been denied

Implies that a request to receive something was rejected.

had no access to

Indicates a lack of availability or opportunity to receive.

didn't take delivery of

Used when talking about shipments or deliveries of goods.

FAQs

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

Use "had not received" to indicate that something was not obtained or delivered by a certain point in the past. For example, "By the time I called, I "had not received" the payment."

What are some alternatives to "had not received"?

Alternatives include "did not get", "never obtained", or "was not given", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "has not received" instead of "had not received"?

"Has not received" indicates something not received up to the present, while "had not received" refers to something not received by a specific time in the past. The choice depends on the time frame you're referencing. For example: "He "has not received" the package yet" versus "He "had not received" the package by yesterday."

What's the difference between "had not received" and "did not receive"?

"Had not received" is used with the past perfect tense, emphasizing that something didn't happen before another event in the past. "Did not receive" is simple past tense, stating a past non-receipt without the same emphasis on sequence. Example: "I "had not received" the letter before I moved" versus "I "did not receive" the letter."