had not removed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had not removed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was not taken away or eliminated in the past, often in a conditional or narrative context. Example: "She realized that she had not removed the old files from her computer before the system crashed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

He. was playing a commander-in-chief of the army & he had not removed his costume.

The New Yorker

Facebook had not removed the image at the time of publication.

Independent

Her harsh, yellow hair had a freshly done look, and her hat, which she had not removed, looked brand-new.

The New Yorker

Angry that Washington had not removed it from a terrorism list, it said it had stopped disabling its main nuclear complex.

The New York Times

Then he looked at the fellow seated with Samantha, who had not removed his iPod earbuds, his hat or his sunglasses as he ate.

The New York Times

Last month, North Korea said it planned to restart Yongbyon because the United States had not removed it from its terrorism blacklist.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

I asked her why she hadn't removed the app.

The New Yorker

"It would have been better if they hadn't removed Mubarak," he told me.

The New Yorker

And also that we hadn't removed our boots before walking into their home.

The New Yorker

Yet the ministry didn't explain why it lifted the ban a few hours later even though Twitter hadn't removed the offending content.

The New York Times

Far from Randolph, who waited 13 years to manage after retiring as a player, Torre hadn't removed his spikes before he was chosen to lead.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had not removed", ensure the context clearly indicates what was not removed and why it's significant. This provides clarity and emphasizes the impact of the non-removal.

Common error

Avoid using "had not removed" when a simpler past tense ("did not remove") is sufficient. The past perfect tense implies an action completed before another point in the past, so ensure this relationship is clear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had not removed" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense, indicating the absence of a prior action. It signifies that something was not taken away or eliminated before a specific point in the past. This aligns with the examples Ludwig provides, demonstrating its use in narrative and conditional contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had not removed" is a grammatically sound and common phrase used to indicate the absence of a prior action in the past. As confirmed by Ludwig, it functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense, often employed in narrative and conditional contexts within news, media, and scientific domains. While its register is neutral, it's crucial to ensure the context clearly establishes the past perfect relationship. When a simpler past tense suffices, avoid using "had not removed" to prevent unnecessary complexity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not take away

Emphasizes the action of not taking something away.

did not eliminate

Focuses on the lack of elimination of something.

did not get rid of

A more informal way of saying something was not discarded.

did not clear

Implies the absence of clearing something away.

did not displace

Highlights the lack of displacement or movement.

did not extract

Focuses on the failure to extract something.

did not withdraw

Highlights the lack of withdrawal or retraction.

did not dislodge

Implies that something remained firmly in place.

retained

A concise synonym indicating that something was kept.

left untouched

Indicates something was not altered or affected.

FAQs

How to use "had not removed" in a sentence?

Use "had not removed" to indicate that something was not taken away or eliminated before a specific point in the past. For example, "The tarp had not removed the evidence when the police arrived".

What can I say instead of "had not removed"?

You can use alternatives like "did not take away", "did not eliminate", or "did not clear" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "did not remove" or "had not removed"?

Both "did not remove" and "had not removed" are grammatically correct, but they have different meanings. "Did not remove" is simple past tense, while "had not removed" is past perfect, indicating an action completed before another point in the past.

Is it OK to use "hadn't removed"?

Yes, "hadn't removed" is a contraction of "had not removed" and is perfectly acceptable in informal writing and speech.