had recently obtained

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had recently obtained" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something was acquired or received not long ago, often in a narrative or descriptive context. Example: "She had recently obtained her degree, which opened up new career opportunities for her."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

On almost all the questions, those who had recently obtained a score were more likely to know the right answers.

The New York Times

(He had recently obtained from the state a "certificate of good conduct," a document that he hadn't previously known existed, which is intended to remove the stigma that ex-prisoners encounter in looking for work).

The New Yorker

Hasan, who had recently obtained a license to buy firearms, wrote to the agent about "bring[ing] the pain to them here," maximizing "damage and mayhem," and "something like the brother in Paris did".

The New Yorker

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the embargo placed by the commission on discussing the report until its release, said the panel had recently obtained intelligence showing that Iran had ordered guards at its border stations not to stamp the passports of Qaeda members from Saudi Arabia who were moving through Iran after training at terrorist camps in Afghanistan.

The New York Times

Kim had recently obtained another telemarketing gig, a job whose chief requisite was the ability to absorb a gale force of customer hostility and whose chief benefit, by Kim's lights, was that she could get to it without taking the bus.

The New Yorker

The brothers had been together in Cleveland for Christmas, and, after Darrell gave a series of conflicting statements about his brother and whether he himself had recently obtained a second driver's license, the investigator in the case became suspicious that the two men had conspired to fraudulently sell Darrell's car and then collect the insurance money.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

We have recently obtained further documentary evidence that reinforces the conclusion of our earlier articles.

The Economist

The company has recently obtained a £230m loan guarantee from the government to help to import and store ethane at Grangemouth, which it threatened to close last year but changed its mind when the workforce accepted new terms and conditions.

The Guardian - Business

Having recently obtained a United Kingdom slaughterman's license, Mr. Oliver staged a "gala dinner," in fact a kind of avian snuff film, to awaken British consumers to the high costs of cheap chicken.

The New York Times

Bamber's lawyers have recently obtained a copy of a note from the Home Office database endorsing that tests were needed to ascertain how hot the silencer became after firing, but again no proof is available that this was pursued.

The Guardian

Have recently obtained the qualification, she is now thought to be based in London, and is set to attend the Prime Minister David Cameron's 'Cool Britannia' party at Downing Street this evening.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had recently obtained" to clearly indicate that an action or event occurred in the recent past relative to another past event you are describing. This helps to establish a timeline in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "has recently obtained" when describing a past event. The correct tense sequence requires the past perfect "had" to show that the obtaining happened before another point in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had recently obtained" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense, indicating that an action of obtaining something occurred in the recent past, prior to another point in time also in the past. Ludwig confirms the usability of this phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

42%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had recently obtained" is a grammatically correct verb phrase used to indicate that something was acquired in the near past, relative to another event in the past. Ludwig confirms this phrase is usable in written English. It commonly appears in news and scientific contexts, with a neutral register. While not as frequent as simpler past tenses, it serves a valuable function in establishing clear temporal relationships in narratives and descriptions. When using this phrase, ensure that the surrounding tenses correctly reflect the past perfect construction to avoid errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had just acquired

Focuses on the immediacy of the acquisition.

had newly acquired

Emphasizes the newness of the acquisition.

had lately obtained

Uses 'lately' to indicate a recent time frame.

had freshly obtained

Highlights the freshness of the acquisition.

had recently come into possession of

More formal way of expressing recent acquisition.

had gained possession of just now

Highlights the gain of possession with more emphasis on 'just now'.

had secured not long ago

Focuses on the securing aspect and recent timing.

had only just obtained

Emphasizes the 'only just' aspect.

had within the last few days obtained

Specifies the timeframe of the acquisition.

had in recent times obtained

A more formal and less common alternative.

FAQs

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

Use "had recently obtained" to indicate that someone acquired something not long before another event in the past. For example, "She "had recently obtained" her degree when she received the job offer".

What can I say instead of "had recently obtained"?

You can use alternatives like "had just acquired", "had newly acquired", or "had lately obtained" depending on the context.

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

No, "has recently obtained" is used for actions happening in the present relative to now, while ""had recently obtained"" is for actions completed in the past before another past action.

What is the difference between "had recently obtained" and "obtained"?

"Obtained" simply states that something was acquired. "Had recently obtained" emphasizes that the acquisition happened in the recent past before another event being discussed.