had thriving

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had thriving" is not correct in standard written English.
It is not typically used as it lacks a clear grammatical structure and context. Example: "The community had thriving businesses before the economic downturn."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I found "Sydney," as I named the Civic, among the classified ads in The San Antonio Express-News, back when midsize towns had thriving newspapers and those newspapers had thriving classified ads sections.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

In most cases the bacteria had thrived.

The Economist

In high school, she had thrived.

The New Yorker

She told me about his business that had thrived.

The New York Times

Four years had passed; in them, I had thrived.

Vice

All also have thriving projects outside the show.

The New York Times - Arts

All have thrived lately.

The New York Times

Latterly they have thrived.

The Guardian - Music

"The defendant has thrived".

The New York Times

I've thrived on them".

The New York Times

Single-issue groups have thrived.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "had thriving" directly. Instead, use alternatives like "had flourished" or "had a thriving business" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Using "had" with the present participle "thriving" without an auxiliary verb like "been" results in a grammatically incorrect phrase. Always ensure the verb form is appropriate for the intended tense and meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had thriving" is intended to function as a verb phrase, suggesting a state of prosperity or success in the past. However, it's grammatically incomplete. Ludwig AI analysis indicates the phrase needs grammatical correction for standard usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "had thriving" aims to convey a past state of success, it is grammatically incorrect and rarely used. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. To express this idea correctly, consider alternatives such as "had flourished" or "had a thriving business". These alternatives ensure grammatical correctness and clarity. While "had thriving" might appear in informal contexts, it is best avoided in professional or academic writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had flourished

Replaces 'thriving' with a synonym that fits grammatically with 'had'.

had prospered

Offers another synonym for 'thriving' that maintains the past perfect tense.

had been thriving

Uses the past perfect continuous tense to emphasize the ongoing nature of the thriving.

had successful

Replace the verb 'thriving' with an adjective 'successful' to express the idea in the past.

had a thriving business

Adds a noun to complete the meaning and make the phrase grammatically sound.

had a successful period

Uses a noun phrase to convey the idea of a period of success.

experienced growth

Focuses on the 'growth' aspect of thriving, using a different verb.

enjoyed success

Uses the verb 'enjoyed' to describe experiencing success.

saw prosperity

Emphasizes the 'prosperity' aspect of thriving, using a different verb.

were flourishing

Uses past continuous form of flourish, an alternative of thrive, to express the action in past.

FAQs

Why is "had thriving" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "had thriving" is incorrect because "had" requires a past participle (like 'flourished') or the addition of 'been' to form the past perfect continuous tense ('had been thriving'). Without these, it lacks grammatical structure.

What are some correct alternatives to "had thriving"?

You can use alternatives like "had flourished", "had prospered", or "had a thriving business" depending on the context.

How does "had been thriving" differ from "had thrived"?

"Had been thriving" implies a continuous action in the past, whereas "had thrived" indicates a completed action in the past. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the ongoing nature of the thriving.

Is there a context where "had thriving" might be acceptable?

While generally incorrect in standard written English, "had thriving" might appear in informal speech or creative writing where grammatical rules are intentionally bent. However, for professional or academic writing, it's best to use grammatically correct alternatives.