had remained

USAGE SUMMARY

"had remained" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It is used as an auxiliary verb to denote a past perfect tense. For example, "She had remained silent during the argument."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Mr. Askew had remained active.

The New York Times

Yet some had remained underground.

The Economist

The whiskers had remained unproven, of course.

Independent

But the specifics had remained mostly unknown.

The New York Times

He had remained there for treatment.

The New York Times - Arts

But one thing had remained the same.

The New York Times - Magazine

Ferguson had remained relatively anonymous until today.

The New York Times - Sports

The two men had remained close.

The New York Times

They had remained friends after breaking up.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Ms. Stern had remained single.

The New York Times

But he and his staff had remained tight-lipped.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had remained" to clearly indicate a state that persisted until a specific point in the past, ensuring chronological clarity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "had remained" when simply describing a present state. This phrase is strictly for past perfect scenarios; for present situations, use "has remained" or "remains".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had remained" functions as an auxiliary verb forming the past perfect tense. It signifies that a state or condition existed continuously up to a specific point in the past. Ludwig confirms that this is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

22%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had remained" is a grammatically correct and frequently used past perfect construction to indicate the continuation of a state or condition until a specific point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is widely accepted. Its prevalence across various sources, particularly news and media, highlights its versatile nature. To ensure accuracy, remember that "had remained" is specifically for past perfect scenarios, and is not to be confused with similar constructions that connect to the present, like "has remained".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had continued to be

Focuses on the continuous nature of the state.

had stayed

Emphasizes the lack of movement or change in location or condition.

had persisted

Highlights the enduring quality despite potential challenges.

had been maintained

Stresses the preservation of a certain state or condition.

had held

Implies resistance to change or external forces.

had kept

Focuses on the active effort to maintain something in a certain state.

had endured

Conveys a sense of surviving through a difficult period.

had prolonged

Highlights the extension of something over time.

had sustained itself

Emphasizes the self-sufficiency in maintaining a particular state.

had carried on

Focuses on the continuation of an activity or process.

FAQs

How can I use "had remained" in a sentence?

Use "had remained" to indicate a state that existed continuously up to a certain point in the past. For example, "The door "had remained locked" until the police arrived" shows the door was locked until that specific moment.

What are some alternatives to "had remained"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases such as "had continued to be", "had stayed", or "had persisted" to convey a similar meaning.

Is there a difference between "had remained" and "remained"?

"Had remained" is past perfect, used to describe an action completed before another point in the past. "Remained" is simple past, describing a state in the past without reference to another past event. For instance, "She "remained silent"" versus "She "had remained silent" until he spoke."

When is it appropriate to use "had remained" over "has remained"?

"Had remained" is used when the timeframe is completely in the past, while "has remained" connects the past to the present. For example, "The problem "had remained unsolved" until yesterday" (now it's solved), versus "The problem "has remained unsolved"" (and it's still unsolved).