had recently ended

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had recently ended" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an event or situation that has just concluded in the past relative to another past event. Example: "The meeting had recently ended when the fire alarm went off."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

Mr. Austin had recently ended a long relationship.

The New York Times - Style

Ms. Thompson had recently ended an eight-year relationship and prayed for a new one.

The New York Times

Ms. Jenkins, when they met, had recently ended a long-term relationship with a woman.

The New York Times

An intense affair had recently ended; she was a jilted lover.

The Guardian - Books

The face of a man who had recently ended his marriage, in other words.

The New Yorker

Evening prayers had recently ended at the adjacent Victory College mosque, and the worshipers had left.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

As the play begins, the war has recently ended, and Wolfgang alludes to being on trial.

The New York Times

And his marriage of 15 years to another cop named Bina has recently ended.

The New York Times - Books

Having recently ended two years of rule by army-backed technocrats, during which she was jailed on corruption charges, Sheikh Hasina has reason to fear the generals.

The Economist

With the Showtime series "Dexter" and the critically acclaimed "Homeland" having recently ended their seasons, the channel has opted for a differently toned Sunday night for the winter.

The New York Times - Arts

Under Bill Owens (whose term as governor has recently ended), Colorado put in place a tax break that rewards only those firms that create jobs with above-average pay.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had recently ended", ensure that the context clearly establishes the timeframe you are referring to. This helps avoid ambiguity about how recent the ending was.

Common error

Avoid using "had recently ended" without a clear reference point in the past. Without this, it's unclear when the event concluded, making the sentence confusing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had recently ended" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. It indicates that an action or state concluded in the recent past before another action occurred. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is grammatically correct and widely accepted.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

82%

Formal & Business

9%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Science

1%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had recently ended" is a grammatically sound and commonly used past perfect phrase to indicate that something concluded in the recent past relative to another event. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase appears across diverse contexts, including news, business, and general narratives. Authoritative sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian frequently employ this phrase. When using "had recently ended", ensure a clear reference point in the past is established. Alternatives like "had just finished" or "had lately concluded" can provide nuanced variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had just finished

Emphasizes the immediate completion of an action, similar to 'had recently ended' but with a focus on finality.

had only just ended

Emphasizes the recency and suddenness of the end.

had lately concluded

Uses 'lately' for a slightly more formal tone, indicating conclusion in the recent past.

had shortly terminated

Highlights the brevity of the time between the ending and the reference point.

had freshly ceased

Suggests a sense of newness or immediacy to the cessation.

came to a close recently

Uses a different structure to convey the same meaning.

had just wrapped up

More informal, implying a conclusion or completion of something.

had not long ago completed

Highlights the short duration since completion.

had not long since finished

Uses a more elaborate structure to emphasize the recent completion.

was recently brought to an end

Passive voice construction emphasizing the action of ending.

FAQs

How do I use "had recently ended" in a sentence?

Use "had recently ended" to describe an event that finished not long before another past event. For example, "The concert "had recently ended" when the storm started".

What are some alternatives to "had recently ended"?

You can use phrases like "had just finished", "had lately concluded", or "had shortly terminated" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "has recently ended" instead of "had recently ended"?

No, "has recently ended" refers to the present perfect tense, indicating an event that ended recently and has relevance to the present. "Had recently ended" is used for the past perfect tense, indicating an event that ended before another point in the past.

What's the difference between "had recently ended" and "recently ended"?

"Recently ended" generally describes an event with respect to the present. "Had recently ended" places the ending in the past, relative to another past event. For example, "The meeting recently ended" versus "The meeting "had recently ended" when the fire alarm rang".