had reviewed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had reviewed" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that a review or evaluation took place before a certain point in time, often in the context of past events. Example: "By the time the meeting started, the committee had reviewed all the necessary documents."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It had reviewed some 102,000 affidavits and — guess what?

The New York Times

For clarification purposes, the authors had reviewed the internal architecture of it.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Weyl 1918b, which Einstein had reviewed in Einstein 1918h (Vol. 7, Doc. 10).

Princeton University

After all, the law firm wrote, Andersen had reviewed Enron's accounting methods.

The New York Times

I had reviewed his "Autobiography," none too favorably, some time before.

The New Yorker

What's more, the original radiologist who had reviewed Peter's chest X-ray had seen it.

The New Yorker

It said that it had reviewed the Tishchenko fight and ruled that the right boxer won.

The Guardian - Sport

Officials at the power companies reserved comment until they had reviewed the complaint.

The New York Times

The Mayo Clinic said it had reviewed his background and accepted the gift with confidence.

The New York Times

Each of us chose a winner from among the restaurants we had reviewed in each category.

The New York Times

He told me that because my consultant had retired, they had reviewed all of his cases.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the context makes clear what was being reviewed and by whom. Providing specific details enhances clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "had reviewed" when a simple past tense ("reviewed") is sufficient. Use "had reviewed" only when you need to emphasize that the review occurred before another action or time in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had reviewed" functions as a past perfect verb, indicating an action (reviewing) that was completed before another point in time in the past. Ludwig examples show its frequent use in describing completed assessments or examinations. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

26%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had reviewed" is a grammatically correct and frequently used past perfect verb phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig. It serves to establish that a reviewing action took place before another event in the past, which is especially useful in news, scientific, and academic writing. While "had reviewed" is suitable for various contexts, it is important to ensure accurate tense usage to avoid ambiguity. When a clear sequence of past actions is not required, consider using the simple past tense "reviewed". When writing, consider alternatives like "had scrutinized" or "had examined" to add nuance. Ludwig's examples and analysis show the phrase's utility in providing clarity about the timeline of past events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had scrutinized

Emphasizes a thorough and critical examination; implies a more detailed inspection than "had reviewed".

had examined

Suggests a careful and detailed inspection, similar to "had reviewed" but with a focus on identifying specific elements or issues.

had assessed

Highlights the evaluation aspect of reviewing, focusing on judging the quality or value of something.

had evaluated

Similar to "had assessed", but suggests a more formal and systematic evaluation process.

had inspected

Implies a visual or physical examination, often for the purpose of ensuring compliance or identifying defects.

had investigated

Suggests a more in-depth inquiry, often involving gathering evidence or uncovering hidden information.

had reconsidered

Indicates a second look at something, often with a change in opinion or decision.

had revisited

Implies returning to something previously examined, often for clarification or further analysis.

had gone over

An informal way of saying "had reviewed", implying a quick or cursory examination.

had looked into

Suggests a preliminary investigation or inquiry, often to gather initial information.

FAQs

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

Use "had reviewed" to indicate that a review or assessment was completed before another event in the past. For example, "By the time the meeting started, the committee "had reviewed" all the documents."

What can I say instead of "had reviewed"?

You can use alternatives like "had examined", "had assessed", or "had scrutinized" depending on the context.

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

Use "had reviewed" when you want to emphasize that the reviewing action took place before another action in the past. If you are simply stating that a review happened, "reviewed" is sufficient. For example: "She reviewed the report" vs. "She "had reviewed" the report before the meeting began."

What's the difference between "had reviewed" and "was reviewing"?

"Had reviewed" indicates a completed action in the past before another point in time, while "was reviewing" indicates an ongoing action in the past. For example, "She "had reviewed" the documents before he arrived" (completed action) versus "She was reviewing the documents when he arrived" (ongoing action).