had received

USAGE SUMMARY

"had received" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
Example sentence: "The doctor had received numerous awards for his work in the medical field."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

ENRC had received that permission.

The New York Times

"I had received a necklace.

The New Yorker

They had received no reply.

The New Yorker

He had received it.

The Guardian - Books

Martha had received a letter from Washington.

Independent

Gallery staff members had received death threats.

The New York Times

The subject had received remarkably little attention.

The New Yorker

He had received a rejection slip.

The New Yorker

She had received an OBE in 1997.

Independent

He had received death threats before.

The Economist

He had received nothing but satisfactory evaluations.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had received" to clearly indicate that an action of receiving occurred before another point in the past. This helps establish a clear sequence of events in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "had received" when simply referring to a past event without indicating a prior action. Instead, use "received" for simple past tense.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had received" functions as a past perfect verb phrase. It indicates an action (receiving) that was completed before another action or time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable status.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

42%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had received" is a grammatically sound and frequently used past perfect verb phrase that helps establish a clear chronological order when discussing past events. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It is commonly found in news, scientific, and academic writing and serves to clarify the sequence of actions. When using this phrase, be sure to distinguish it from the simple past tense "received" to accurately convey the timing of events. Understanding the nuances of "had received" will improve clarity and precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had obtained

Focuses on the act of getting or acquiring something, often implying effort or process.

had been given

Highlights the act of being presented with something by someone else.

had acquired

Implies gaining possession of something, often over time or through effort.

had been awarded

Specifically refers to receiving something as a reward or honor.

had been granted

Suggests formal or official permission or bestowal.

had come into possession of

A more formal way of saying someone obtained something.

had been the recipient of

A formal expression for receiving something, emphasizing the role of the receiver.

had experienced

Emphasizes undergoing an event or situation.

was in receipt of

A more concise and direct synonym, suitable for formal contexts.

had enjoyed

Focuses on benefiting from or experiencing something positive.

FAQs

How do I use "had received" in a sentence?

Use "had received" to indicate that an action of receiving something occurred before another action in the past. For example, "She "had received" the package before she left for work."

What are some alternatives to "had received"?

You can use alternatives like "had obtained", "had been given", or "had acquired" depending on the context.

When should I use "had received" instead of "received"?

"Had received" is used when you want to show that the action of receiving something happened before another point in the past. "Received" is used for a simple past action without needing to establish a sequence of events.

Is "had received" formal or informal?

"Had received" is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts. Its usage depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure rather than the phrase itself.