had previously considered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had previously considered" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something was thought about or contemplated at an earlier time before the current moment or situation. Example: "The committee had previously considered several options before making their final decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Watkins had previously considered buying the Devil Rays.

The New York Times - Sports

The United Nations had previously considered asking former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari to fill the position.

The Washington Post

Turkish media reported that local Isis cells had previously considered an attack on a wedding of PKK supporters in Gaziantep.

The Guardian

This episode made Mrs. Elkin friendlier with one of the othe guests that she had previously considered vulgar.

The New Yorker

Was the idea of Bundy contributing to the book prompted by him, or something that Rule had previously considered?

The New Yorker

SEC and CFTC involvement in systemic risk deliberations was particularly notable given neither had previously considered it a priority and their regulatory jurisdictions include nonbank entities.

Harvard University

He said she had previously considered suicide after visiting Manchester as she was scared of returning to Carlisle.

Independent

Some of these companies had previously considered running their own bus programs, but found the prospect to be too expensive.

The New York Times

Ms. Brunda, who said she had previously considered backing Mr. Weiner, is now leaning toward Ms. Quinn.

The New York Times

It had previously considered a sale as part of a review of the business, attracting interest from TalkSport owner UTV Media and Richard Branson's Virgin.

The Guardian

Hamilton had previously considered going to the media, and now he asked Nicole to organize a protest outside the Brooklyn State Supreme Court.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When employing the phrase, ensure that the subsequent context clarifies why the consideration didn't lead to action or how the initial thought evolved.

Common error

Avoid using redundant adverbs or phrases that reiterate the 'previous' aspect already conveyed by "had previously considered". For example, avoid writing 'had previously considered it before,' as 'before' is unnecessary.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had previously considered" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. Ludwig AI confirms that it expresses an action (considering) that was completed before another action or point in time in the past. It indicates prior contemplation or evaluation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had previously considered" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to indicate that something was thought about or evaluated at an earlier time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used across various contexts, especially in news and media, science, and academic writing. When using this phrase, ensure clarity and avoid redundancy. By being mindful of its usage, you can effectively convey the sequence of events and provide the necessary background for your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

considered before

Omits "previously" for brevity, slightly less formal.

had thought about before

Simple and direct substitution using the verb "thought".

contemplated in the past

Replaces "considered" with "contemplated" and "previously" with "in the past", changing the tone.

had given thought to previously

Inverts the structure, emphasizing the act of giving thought.

had evaluated in the past

Replaces "considered" with "evaluated", suggesting a more formal assessment.

weighed up at an earlier stage

More descriptive, using "weighed up" instead of "considered" and specifying "at an earlier stage".

had looked into earlier

Suggests a more investigative or research-oriented consideration.

had assessed beforehand

Uses "assessed" to imply a careful judgment and "beforehand" as a synonym for "previously".

had entertained the notion

Uses a more figurative expression, implying a brief consideration.

had once envisioned

Replaces "considered" with "envisioned", implying a more imaginative or aspirational thought.

FAQs

How can I use "had previously considered" in a sentence?

Use "had previously considered" to indicate that someone thought about or evaluated something before a specific point in time. For example: "The company "had previously considered" relocating, but ultimately decided to stay."

What are some alternatives to "had previously considered"?

You can use phrases like "had earlier considered", "had already considered", or "considered before" as alternatives to "had previously considered", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "had previously considered about"?

No, it is not correct. The correct usage is "had previously considered" without the "about". "Consider" already implies thinking about something, so adding "about" is redundant.

What's the difference between "had previously considered" and "considered"?

"Considered" indicates a general act of thinking about something, while ""had previously considered"" specifies that the consideration occurred at an earlier time. The past perfect tense emphasizes that the action was completed before another point in time.