had now started

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had now started" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action has begun at a specific point in the past and is relevant to the present moment. Example: "After months of planning, they had now started the construction of the new building."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

She revealed that testing of beef imports from outside the European Union had now started.

The Guardian

The TV channel had now started and a Cuban woman was talking in Spanish, evidently about the impending hurricane.

The Telegraph

However, while those discussions failed to reach an agreement, QPR last night released a statement revealing the club had now started "preliminary discussions with a different party".

Independent

And they said the American Special Forces had now started on missions that could lead to unimaginably bad endings for the combatants.

The New York Times

The singer said he had suffered from the condition, which can leave people with a buzzing or ringing in their ears, for about 10 years and had now started protecting his ears.

Independent

A witness told Reuters that some of the hundreds of Morsi supporters who had camped overnight around the perimeter of the palace had now started leaving as the deadline approaches.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Those risks have now started to crystalise.

The Guardian - Business

Things have now started to change.

The Guardian

That has now started to change.

The New York Times - Health

In Asia, consumers have now started to splurge as well.

The New York Times

But the economy has now started to blossom.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had now started" to clearly indicate that an action began at a specific point in the past and continues to have relevance or consequences in the present.

Common error

Avoid using "had now started" when simply stating a fact that is true in the present. Use present perfect or simple past instead. For instance, "The project has started" or "The project started last week."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had now started" functions as a verb phrase indicating the initiation of an action or process in the past, with implications for the present or a subsequent point in time. Ludwig confirms its proper usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

12.5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6.25%

Reference

3.125%

Social Media

3.125%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had now started" is a grammatically sound phrase that indicates an action began in the past and has present relevance. According to Ludwig, it is used across various domains, including News & Media and Science. While versatile, it's crucial to avoid using it when a simple past or present perfect tense would suffice. For more formal contexts, consider alternatives such as "had initiated" or "had recently commenced". Remember to carefully choose your tense to accurately convey the timing of events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had just begun

Indicates the action commenced very recently.

had recently commenced

Similar to "had just begun", but slightly more formal.

had initiated

Highlights the act of starting something more formally.

had set in motion

Emphasizes the beginning of a process or series of events.

was now underway

Shifts the focus to the ongoing nature of the action after its start.

had gotten off the ground

Suggests a successful start after some initial difficulty.

had been launched

Implies a formal or significant beginning, often used for projects or initiatives.

had sprung into action

Conveys a sudden and energetic start.

had embarked on

Indicates the start of a journey or endeavor.

had kicked off

Informal way of saying something has started, especially events.

FAQs

How can I use "had now started" in a sentence?

Use "had now started" to indicate that an action or process began at some point in the past and is relevant to the present situation. For example, "The negotiations "had now started", and both sides were preparing for a long debate."

What are some alternatives to "had now started"?

You can use alternatives like "had just begun", "had recently commenced", or "was now underway" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "had now started" and "had already started"?

"Had now started" emphasizes the point at which something began and its current relevance, while "had already started" simply indicates that something began before a certain time or event.

Is it correct to say "has now started" instead of "had now started"?

The choice between "has" and "had" depends on the context and the timeframe you're referencing. "Has now started" is present perfect and implies the starting action's effects continue to the present. "Had now started" is past perfect, putting the start before another point in the past.