had previously finished

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had previously finished" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action was completed before another point in time or event in the past. Example: "By the time the meeting started, I had previously finished the report."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Van Gaal took over at the start of last season when United had previously finished seventh.

The Guardian - Sport

The three-year-old had previously finished fourth behind Caspar Netscher in the German equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas.

The Guardian - Sport

He must be top-class, to have handled such a big step up in grade so fluently in the Prix du Jockey Club, beating the colt who had previously finished second to Pour Moi himself at Saint-Cloud in May.

Independent

The Scot had previously finished fifth and sixth in her two previous Games appearances and confessed to "a mixture of emotions" after seeing Hosszu romp away to claim the gold and obliterate the existing world record by more than two seconds.

The Guardian - Sport

K_Southwick: I had previously finished a book about Sun Microsystems and Scott McNealy.

Forbes

He had previously finished in tied 25th in the men's trap at the 2004 Games in Athens.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Now she is out of the Olympics in the metric mile, having previously finished 10th at the Atlanta Games and having failed to make the final in 1992 and 1988.

The New York Times - Sports

Under Taaffe's care, Argocat has taken steady steps forward in three starts over hurdles, winning tidily at Thurles last month having previously finished third to subsequent Grade One runner-up Shadow Catcher.

The Guardian - Sport

Only one Briton has previously finished on the podium of a Grand Tour - Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana - Scot Robert Millar was second in the Giro in 1987, after a second place in the Vuelta in 1986.

BBC

To put Froome's achievement into context, only one British rider has previously finished on the podium at one of cycling's three-week "grand tours" - the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana.

BBC

Famitsu editor Ranbu Yoshida said that "it feels like a very different game from its predecessor" and that "it's easy to lose yourself in changing and redoing areas you've previously finished".

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had previously finished", ensure it's clear what point in time you're referencing. Providing a specific timeframe enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "already" with "had previously finished" as it can be redundant. For instance, instead of "had already previously finished", use either "had already finished" or "had previously finished".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had previously finished" functions as a past perfect construction, indicating an action that was completed before another action in the past. It establishes a sequence of events, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had previously finished" is a grammatically sound and useful construction in English writing. As Ludwig AI corroborates, it effectively clarifies the sequence of past events. While not exceedingly common, it appears across various sources like news, science, and wikis. To ensure clarity, it's best practice to specify the timeframe when using the phrase, and avoid redundancy with "already". Alternatives like "had already completed" can offer similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had already completed

Replaces "previously" with "already", emphasizing the completion before the reference time.

had completed earlier

Uses "earlier" instead of "previously" to denote a prior completion.

had formerly concluded

Substitutes "finished" with "concluded" and "previously" with "formerly", providing a more formal tone.

had earlier finalized

Replaces "previously finished" with "earlier finalized", stressing the finality of the action.

had finished beforehand

Uses "beforehand" instead of "previously" to indicate prior completion.

had concluded in advance

Replaces "finished" with "concluded" and uses "in advance" to convey the prior completion.

had wrapped up prior

Uses the idiom "wrapped up" instead of "finished" and "prior" instead of "previously".

had put the finishing touches on earlier

Emphasizes the final stages of completion having occurred earlier.

had completed in the past

Explicitly states that the action was completed "in the past" rather than "previously".

had been done earlier

Uses a passive construction to indicate the earlier completion of an action.

FAQs

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

Use "had previously finished" to indicate that an action was completed before another action or point in time in the past. For example, "She "had previously finished" her degree before starting her new job."

What are some alternatives to "had previously finished"?

You can use alternatives like "had already completed", "had completed earlier", or "had formerly concluded" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "had previously finished" and "had already finished"?

While both phrases are similar, "had already finished" may emphasize immediacy, while ""had previously finished"" simply indicates prior completion.

When should I use "had previously finished" instead of "finished"?

Use "had previously finished" to specifically establish the sequence of events in the past, clarifying that one action was completed before another past action. Use "finished" for simple past tense without emphasizing sequential order.