had run longer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had run longer" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something had a longer duration or continued for a longer time in the past before another event occurred. Example: "The meeting had run longer than expected, causing delays in the schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

If it had run longer, I might be able to take you out to lunch.

The Guardian

Irreverence In Tony Overtime If the Tony Awards had been more like the Academy Awards -- that is, if the envelope-opening and the speeches had run longer -- ROSIE O'DONNELL would not have had to fill time at the end of the telecast on Sunday night.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Only six shows have run longer; in order, "The Phantom of the Opera," "Cats," "Les Miserables," "A Chorus Line," "Oh, Calcutta," and the current revival of "Chicago".

The New York Times

Every winner this century has run longer than a half hour; all but a handful are thirty-nine or forty minutes long.

The New Yorker

This time the opera survived two performances and would have run longer but for a quarrel between Beethoven and the management, after which the composer in a fury withdrew his score.

Encyclopedia Britannica

And if it is a marathon and not a sprint, no one has run longer, faster or better than we have in terms of longevity and stand-alone success".

The New York Times - Sports

By its March 15 opening, if that holds, "Spider-Man" will have run longer in previews than some Broadway musicals have run in their entirety this season, like "The Scottsboro Boys" (94 total performances) and "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" (99).

The New York Times

He made eagle from the fairway, savaged the second-longest golf course in United States Open history with booming drives that could have run longer if the fairways had not been soaked with persistent rain, and took advantage of softened greens with menacingly accurate iron play.

The New York Times - Sports

(To be fair, the exchange may have run longer than 30 seconds, but not much more).

Forbes

However, I've run longer games that have lots of random elements, and it's kind of a fun challenge to find ways to be prepared for whatever the game might throw at you.

Vice

The sixth and seventh episodes featured short clips with no lines because the episodes had run long and longer segments were cut.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had run longer", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being compared in terms of duration. The phrase works best when contrasting two different lengths of time or projecting a hypothetical scenario.

Common error

Avoid using "had run longer" when a simple past tense ("ran longer") suffices. The past perfect emphasizes that the action finished before another point in the past. Use the past perfect only when that sequence is important.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had run longer" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. It indicates that an action (running) extended for a duration that was greater than another, usually implied or explicitly stated, duration in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had run longer" is a grammatically sound verb phrase used in the past perfect tense to express that something lasted for a more extended duration compared to a reference point in the past. It is deemed correct and usable according to Ludwig AI. While not exceedingly common, it finds relevance across diverse contexts, including news, encyclopedias, and scientific writing, maintaining a neutral formality level. Remember to use the past perfect only when emphasizing the sequence of events. Alternatives include phrases like "had lasted longer" and "had continued longer".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had lasted longer

Focuses on the duration of an event or activity.

had gone on for longer

Similar to 'lasted longer' but slightly more informal.

had continued for a longer period

Emphasizes the extended timeframe of an activity.

had been ongoing for more time

Highlights the continuous nature of something over an extended period.

had extended further

Highlights the increased reach or scope of something.

had remained longer

Highlights that something stayed in a particular state or place for an extended time.

had proceeded for a longer duration

Formal and emphasizes the continuation of a process.

had stretched out longer

Implies something was prolonged or made to last.

had persevered longer

Emphasizes the element of persistence over time.

had been in operation longer

Specifically relates to systems, businesses, or organizations.

FAQs

How do I use "had run longer" in a sentence?

Use "had run longer" to indicate that something's duration extended further than initially planned or compared to something else in the past. For instance, "The meeting "had run longer" than scheduled, causing a delay."

What are some alternatives to "had run longer"?

You can use alternatives such as "had lasted longer", "had continued longer", or "had extended further" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "had ran longer" instead of "had run longer"?

No, "had ran longer" is grammatically incorrect. The correct past participle of 'run' is 'run', so the correct phrase is ""had run longer"".

What's the difference between "had run longer" and "ran longer"?

"Had run longer" uses the past perfect tense to indicate an action completed before another point in the past, while "ran longer" uses the simple past tense to describe a completed action in the past without specific reference to another past action. For example, "The play had run longer than expected by the time the reviews came out" versus "The play ran longer this week because of popular demand."