had suspended

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had suspended" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that an action of suspension occurred before another action in the past. Example: "The committee had suspended the meeting before the new evidence was presented."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He had suspended a woman.

The Guardian

Many others had suspended applications for the top ranking.

The Economist

Mr. O'Neill's supporters had suspended Mr. Ogio as governor general.

The New York Times

Russia had suspended trading for the previous two days.

The New Yorker

It had suspended payment on the common last month.

The New York Times

In July, the league had suspended Rice for two games.

The Washington Post

By day's end, the city had suspended the program.

The New York Times

The guerrillas also said they had suspended the militants involved.

The New York Times

A caseworker said the agency had suspended them.

The New York Times

The NSA declined to discuss Taylor's ruling or whether it had suspended any surveillance activities.

The Washington Post

If they had suspended him, they wouldn't be able to do that.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had suspended", ensure the context clearly indicates what was suspended and the reason behind the suspension to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "had suspended" when the suspension is still ongoing. Use "has suspended" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had suspended" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, indicating that an action of suspension was completed before another point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms this usage with numerous examples from varied sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had suspended" is a past perfect verb phrase used to indicate that an action of suspension occurred before another point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and usable in written English, with its most frequent usage found in news and media. Common alternatives include "had halted" or "had paused". When using "had suspended", it's important to ensure that the context clarifies what was suspended and why, and to use the correct tense based on the timeline of events. The phrase carries a neutral tone and serves to provide chronological context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had temporarily halted

Implies a brief interruption, similar to suspension, focusing on the temporary nature of the cessation.

had put on hold

Suggests a deliberate postponement, often with the intention of resuming later.

had ceased temporarily

Emphasizes that the action stopped for a limited time.

had interrupted

Focuses on the break in continuity of an action or process.

had discontinued temporarily

Implies a planned pause in activity, more formal than "put on hold".

had shelved

Suggests putting aside an idea or plan, often implying indefinite postponement.

had frozen

Indicates a standstill, often used in financial or legal contexts.

had deferred

Suggests postponing to a later time, often due to specific reasons.

had stayed

A legal term indicating a temporary halting of proceedings or enforcement.

had paused

Simple and direct, indicating a brief stop in activity.

FAQs

How do I properly use "had suspended" in a sentence?

Use "had suspended" to indicate an action of suspension that occurred before another action in the past. For example, "The company had suspended operations before the investigation began".

What are some alternatives to using "had suspended"?

You can use alternatives such as "had halted", "had paused", or "had put on hold" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "has suspended" instead of "had suspended"?

The choice between "has suspended" and "had suspended" depends on the timing. Use "has suspended" if the action is recent and still relevant. Use "had suspended" if the action happened in the past before another past action.

What is the difference between "had suspended" and "suspended"?

"Suspended" typically refers to a more recent or ongoing suspension, while "had suspended" indicates a suspension that occurred in the past, before another event also in the past.