had sprung up

USAGE SUMMARY

"had sprung up" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it when you are talking about something that has suddenly come into existence or that has grown quickly. For example, "A new trend had sprung up among young people that year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

More galleries had sprung up; a collecting base had coalesced.

The New York Times - Books

These newfangled societies had sprung up in just 20 years.

The Economist

A veritable carnival had sprung up on the adjacent grounds.

The New York Times - Travel

A mixture of real palm trees and bright green fakes had sprung up on the beach.

Independent

By late Sunday afternoon, a community page had sprung up on Facebook to memorialize the teenager.

The New York Times

A cottage industry of academic criticism had sprung up around it.

The Economist

I could not tell what had caused it, but a chasm had sprung up between us.

The New Yorker

The small tent city that had sprung up around the airport lay before them.

The New Yorker

Another mall, of a sort, had sprung up on the road itself.

The New York Times - Travel

So he began filming firehouses and the memorials that had sprung up around them.

The New York Times

I learned about the group homes that had sprung up after the closure of the mental hospitals.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had sprung up" to vividly describe the sudden appearance or rapid growth of something, emphasizing the unexpected nature of its emergence. This phrase is particularly effective when highlighting quick development or proliferation.

Common error

Avoid using "had sprung up" when describing something that developed slowly over time. This phrase implies a rapid or sudden appearance, so it's not appropriate for gradual or evolutionary processes.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "had sprung up" is as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. It describes an action (springing up) that was completed before another action in the past. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Encyclopedias

20%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Forbes

6%

Huffington Post

4%

The New Yorker

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had sprung up" is a grammatically correct and very common verb phrase used in the past perfect tense to describe the sudden or rapid emergence of something. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It is frequently found in news and media, encyclopedia, and wiki contexts. When using this phrase, it's important to ensure it accurately reflects the sudden nature of the event or development being described, avoiding its use for gradual processes. Related phrases include "had emerged" and "had arisen". This makes "had sprung up" a vivid and effective way to emphasize quick development or proliferation in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had emerged

Focuses on the appearance of something new, with less emphasis on the speed of its development.

had arisen

Emphasizes the origin or cause of something coming into existence.

had materialized

Suggests something becoming real or visible, often unexpectedly.

had come into being

A more formal way of saying something began to exist.

had developed

Implies a gradual process of growth or formation.

had formed

Indicates the creation of a structure or organization.

had taken root

Suggests that something has established itself and begun to grow.

had blossomed

Implies flourishing and rapid growth, often in a positive sense.

had mushroomed

Highlights extremely rapid growth, often with a slightly negative connotation.

had cropped up

Suggests something appearing suddenly and unexpectedly, often causing a problem.

FAQs

How can I use "had sprung up" in a sentence?

"Had sprung up" is used to describe something that has suddenly come into existence or grown quickly. For example, "New cafes "had sprung up" all over town."

What can I say instead of "had sprung up"?

You can use alternatives like "had emerged", "had arisen", or "had materialized" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "had sprung up" or "has sprung up"?

"Had sprung up" is used with past perfect tense, referring to something that occurred before another point in the past. "Has sprung up" is used with present perfect tense, referring to something that started in the past and continues to the present or has relevance to the present.

What's the difference between "had sprung up" and "had developed"?

"Had sprung up" implies a sudden and rapid appearance, while "had developed" suggests a more gradual process of growth or formation.