had stayed on board

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had stayed on board" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone remained on a ship, aircraft, or similar vehicle for a period of time in the past. Example: "Despite the storm, the crew had stayed on board to ensure the safety of the passengers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Jabin, who had stayed on board, would be his head guard.

The New Yorker

If the passengers had stayed on board the delay would have been much less, he said.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Mr Reith, who refused to rule out the use of force to remove the remaining refugees, said the Iraqis taken off the Manoora were ringleaders of a group which has stayed on board, insisting that asylum applications must be heard in Australia.

The Guardian

The response was overwhelmingly positive, and the feature has stayed on board for this latest model.

TechCrunch

Under the initial plan, the remaining crew members would have stayed on board until another, more powerful US icebreaker arrived in up to 10 days' time, the BBC's Andrew Luck-Baker reports from on board the Akademik Shokalskiy.

BBC

I think the board would have been happy if Fred had stayed on forever".

Los Angeles Times

But Ackman, who still owns more than seventeen per cent of the company, had stayed on the board after Johnson's departure, and still seemed to harbor hopes of remaking the company.

The New Yorker

This sort of thing is surprisingly common: in "The Market for Comeback CEOs", Rüdiger Fahlenbrach, then at Ohio State University, studied 275 publicly traded American firms whose CEOs had stayed on the board after retirement and were still around when the company again needed a new CEO.

The Economist

Three senior officers stayed on board before being taken ashore.

The Guardian

Doerr passed up some future profits by whittling down his stake but has stayed on the board.

Forbes

Perhaps the more salient question is why the two have stayed on the board under the current circumstances.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had stayed on board" to clearly indicate that someone remained on a vessel (ship, plane, etc.) at a specific time in the past, especially when contrasting with others who disembarked.

Common error

Avoid using the simple past tense ("stayed on board") when you need to emphasize that the action of staying on board happened before another past action. "Had stayed on board" is the past perfect and clarifies the sequence of events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had stayed on board" functions as the main verb phrase in a sentence, indicating a completed action in the past before another past action. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is grammatically correct and provides examples in various contexts, as shown in the examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had stayed on board" is grammatically correct and useful for expressing that someone remained on a vessel (ship, plane, etc.) at a particular time in the past, especially when contrasting their actions with others who left. As indicated by Ludwig AI, this past perfect construction is best used when establishing a clear sequence of past events. While "stayed on board" is also correct, using "had stayed on board" adds clarity when emphasizing that the act of staying preceded another event. Alternatives such as "had remained aboard" or "had kept on board" can be used depending on the desired nuance. Common usage errors involve using the simple past tense when the past perfect is more appropriate for highlighting the sequence of past actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had remained aboard

Uses "remained" instead of "stayed", suggesting a more formal tone.

had continued to stay aboard

Adds emphasis to the continuation of staying on board.

had kept on board

Implies a decision to remain on board despite other options.

had not disembarked

Focuses on the action of not leaving the vessel.

had chosen to remain on board

Highlights the element of choice in staying on board.

had elected to stay on board

Similar to "chosen to remain", but slightly more formal.

had been aboard throughout

Emphasizes the continuous presence on board from beginning to end.

hadn't left the ship

A more informal way of saying they stayed on board.

had persevered on board

Suggests staying on board required effort or resilience.

had remained present on board

Highlights physical presence and emphasizes continuity.

FAQs

How can I use "had stayed on board" in a sentence?

"Had stayed on board" indicates that someone remained on a ship, aircraft, or similar vehicle before another event occurred. For example: "The captain had stayed on board to ensure the safety of the passengers before the rescue team arrived."

What are some alternatives to "had stayed on board"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "had remained aboard", "had kept on board", or "had not disembarked".

Is it correct to say "stayed on board" instead of "had stayed on board"?

While "stayed on board" is grammatically correct, using "had stayed on board" (past perfect) is more appropriate when you need to establish a sequence of past events. The past perfect clarifies that the action of staying on board happened before another action in the past.

What is the difference between "had stayed on board" and "remained on board"?

"Had stayed on board" emphasizes the completion of staying on board before something else happened. "Remained on board" ("remained on board") simply indicates that someone continued to be on the vessel. The former is past perfect while the latter is simple past.