had previously demanded

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had previously demanded" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a demand was made at an earlier time before another event or action took place. Example: "The committee had previously demanded a detailed report before making their final decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

They had previously demanded immediate dissolution.

The New York Times

BellSouth had previously demanded a retraction of the May 11 article.

The New York Times

Rooms that had previously demanded to be polished now offered themselves to be stroked".

The New York Times - Books

The environment and forestry ministry had previously demanded that Bumi Mekar Hijau pay 7.8tn rupiah (S$780 million) to the state for damages from burning land.

The Guardian

If their share of the league's income exceeds the agreed-upon limit, the owners cannot reduce their salaries in subsequent years, as the league had previously demanded.

The Economist

In a letter to the climate and energy secretary, Ed Davey, Osborne offered to allow subsidies for onshore wind to be cut by only one-tenth, rather than by a quarter as the Treasury had previously demanded.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

The provincial police commander, Alex N'Drasal, has previously demanded the men be returned to the island to face questioning pending charges.

The Guardian

Martinez, who accused the government of failing to consult unions over the law, has previously demanded it be scrapped.

The Guardian

The Islamists themselves have given hints that they are open to this, having previously demanded that it extend to the West Bank too.

The Economist

His lawyers have previously demanded that the attorney general recuse himself, saying that the investigation had become politicized by his bid for governor.

The New York Times

Pakistan has previously demanded an end to US drone strikes on Pakistani soil.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had previously demanded", ensure the context clearly establishes who made the demand and what was being demanded. This clarifies the subject and object of the action.

Common error

Avoid using "had previously demanded" when a simple past tense ("demanded") suffices. Use the past perfect only when indicating an action completed before another point in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had previously demanded" functions as a past perfect verb phrase. It indicates an action (demanding) that was completed before another point in the past. Ludwig AI's analysis confirms that it's a grammatically sound construction.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had previously demanded" is a grammatically correct and commonly used past perfect verb phrase. It effectively conveys that a demand was made before another event in the past, as supported by Ludwig AI. This phrase appears frequently in news media, reflecting its utility in reporting past actions and their contexts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity about who made the demand and the nature of what was demanded. Alternatives such as ""had earlier requested"" or ""had formerly insisted"" can be considered based on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had earlier requested

Replaces "demanded" with a more neutral term, softening the tone.

had formerly insisted

Substitutes "demanded" with "insisted", emphasizing a firm stance in the past.

had previously required

Uses "required" instead of "demanded", suggesting a necessity or condition.

had earlier stipulated

Replaces "demanded" with "stipulated", indicating a specific condition was laid out.

had once claimed

Shifts the focus to a past claim rather than a demand, changing the emphasis.

had already sought

Replaces "demanded" with "sought", indicating an attempt to obtain something previously.

had at one point pressed for

Emphasizes the act of pushing for something in the past, rather than a direct demand.

had in the past appealed for

Replaces "demanded" with "appealed", suggesting a plea rather than a forceful request.

had initially called for

Highlights the initial nature of the request, implying it may have changed.

had before urged

Replaces "demanded" with "urged", softening the forcefulness of the request.

FAQs

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

Use "had previously demanded" to show that a demand was made at an earlier time. For example, "The union "had previously demanded" better wages before the strike began".

What is a synonym for "had previously demanded"?

Alternatives to "had previously demanded" include "had earlier requested", "had formerly insisted", or "had previously required", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "has previously demanded" instead of "had previously demanded"?

No, "has previously demanded" uses the present perfect tense and implies the demand is still relevant. "Had previously demanded" indicates a demand made and completed before a specific point in the past.

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

"Demanded" is in the simple past tense, indicating a demand made at a specific time in the past. "Had previously demanded" uses the past perfect, indicating a demand made before another event in the past. The past perfect provides additional context about the sequence of events.