had signed up for

USAGE SUMMARY

"had signed up for" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to indicate that someone has agreed to do something or they have committed or promised to do it in the past. For example: John had signed up for the marathon, but he didn't make it on race day due to an injury.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

About 400 people had signed up for the cruise.

The New York Times

He said neither had signed up for the group.

The Guardian

Some had signed up for a body fat screening.

The New York Times

I had signed up for two long day trips.

The New York Times - Travel

That evening, Ann was attending a cooking class that she had signed up for with Harroun.

The New Yorker

Meg Wolitzer, the novelist, had signed up for the three-day event….

The New Yorker

Mr. Kanojia declined to disclose how many people had signed up for Aereo so far.

The New York Times

We knew what we had signed up for, but it was still tough.

The New York Times

As of March 1st 4.2m Americans had signed up for coverage through Obamacare's insurance exchanges.

The Economist

I stuck to my guns – pointing out that they had signed up for the class knowing this was the deal.

University of California, Berkeley

Mr. Nocas said that about 10 million people had signed up for the Xbox Live service.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had signed up for" when emphasizing a past action of registering or enrolling in something. It's particularly useful when describing a completed action with ongoing relevance or consequences.

Common error

Avoid using present or future tenses when describing an action that was completed in the past. For example, don't say "He is signing up for the class last week"; instead, use "He "had signed up for" the class last week".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had signed up for" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, indicating that an action of registering or enrolling occurred before another point in the past. As seen in Ludwig's examples, this construction is commonly used to provide background information or establish a sequence of events.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

84%

Academia

7%

Science

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had signed up for" is a very common and grammatically correct past perfect verb phrase used to indicate that someone completed the action of registering or enrolling in something before a specific point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and widespread use across various contexts, particularly in news and media. When using this phrase, ensure the tense is consistent with the intended meaning and consider alternatives like "had registered for" or "had enrolled in" depending on the context. Remember that incorrect tense usage is a common error to avoid.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had registered for

Replaces "signed up" with "registered", implying a more formal enrollment process.

had enrolled in

Uses "enrolled" instead of "signed up", suggesting a more academic or structured commitment.

had subscribed to

Employs "subscribed" indicating a recurring commitment, often for services or content.

had enlisted for

Replaces "signed up" with "enlisted", implying a commitment to a cause or organization.

had committed to

Uses "committed" indicating a promise or dedication to something.

had agreed to participate in

More verbose, emphasizing agreement and involvement in an activity.

had joined

A simpler alternative, focusing on becoming a member of a group or organization.

had put their name down for

An idiomatic alternative, suggesting a preliminary expression of interest.

had made arrangements for

Focuses on the preparatory steps taken to secure a place or service.

had secured a spot in

Highlights the successful acquisition of a limited opportunity.

FAQs

What does ""had signed up for"" mean?

The phrase ""had signed up for"" indicates that someone had previously registered or enrolled in something before a specific point in time. It implies a completed action of registration or enrollment.

How can I use ""had signed up for"" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a past action of registering. For example, "She "had signed up for" the course before the deadline" or "They "had signed up for" the membership last year."

Which is correct: ""had signed up for"" or "signed up for"?

Both are correct, but they convey different meanings. "Signed up for" indicates a past action, while ""had signed up for"" indicates an action completed before another point in time. The choice depends on the context.

What are some alternatives to ""had signed up for""?

Alternatives include "had registered for", "had enrolled in", or "had subscribed to", depending on the specific context.