had we shown

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had we shown" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in conditional sentences to express a hypothetical situation in the past. Example: "Had we shown more initiative, we might have secured the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Had we shown up one day later, our company would have been in some very deep waters.

Forbes

Imagine what we could have achieved had we shown up for that election.

Huffington Post

We could have had an impact on the outcome had we had a strategy other than washing our hands of the region, and had we shown willingness to exercise leadership.

Huffington Post

For example had we shown that losartan administration across dehydration induced a substantial decline in arterial pressure compared with dehydration alone, this may have provided sufficient stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and the Corticotropin Releasing Factor (CRF) /ACTH/cortisol system to have overcome any inhibitory effect from blockade of AngII AT1 receptors by losartan.

BMC Veterinary Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"We had to show we were alive and we had to show we weren't frightened," said the manager, Omar Zemoura.

The Guardian

We have shown we can cope without Falcao".

The Guardian - Sport

But we have shown we are able to win.

The Guardian - Sport

"We've shown we're not scared of playing.

The Guardian - Sport

"We have shown we can do it," said pitman Jim Turner.

Independent

We've shown we keep our nerves and keep going.

Independent

But we have shown we can dig in and battle.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had we shown" to introduce a hypothetical past condition, typically followed by a 'would have' clause to express the result. For example: "Had we shown more patience, the outcome might have been different."

Common error

Avoid mixing tenses incorrectly. "Had we shown" indicates a past hypothetical. Ensure the consequent clause uses 'would have' or 'could have' to maintain grammatical consistency. Incorrect: 'Had we shown up, we are successful.' Correct: 'Had we shown up, we would have been successful.'

Linguistic Context

"Had we shown" functions as a conditional clause, specifically an inverted conditional clause. It introduces a hypothetical past condition, setting up a scenario where something was not demonstrated or displayed. Ludwig examples illustrate this usage in contexts ranging from business decisions to political strategies. The structure implies a reflection on past actions and their potential alternative outcomes.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had we shown" is a grammatically sound phrase used to introduce hypothetical past conditions. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, though its frequency is relatively rare. It's most commonly found in news and media, as well as scientific contexts, where it serves to explore alternative outcomes or analyze past decisions. When using this phrase, ensure consistency in tense and consider that other constructions, like "if we had shown", may be more common alternatives. The phrase provides a nuanced way to reflect on past actions and speculate about their potential consequences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

if we had shown

Replaces the inversion of 'had' and 'we' with a standard 'if' clause, slightly altering the emphasis.

if we demonstrated

Substitutes 'shown' with 'demonstrated', suggesting a more active or explicit display.

assuming we had shown

Adds an assumption aspect, framing the situation as a hypothetical premise.

suppose we had shown

Similar to 'assuming', but implies a less firm basis for the hypothetical.

in the event that we showed

Introduces a more formal and less common way of expressing the conditional.

had we exhibited

Replaces 'shown' with 'exhibited', implying a display of qualities or behaviors.

if we had revealed

Substitutes 'shown' with 'revealed', focusing on uncovering or making something known.

had we displayed

Uses 'displayed' instead of 'shown', indicating a more prominent or outward presentation.

provided we had shown

Frames the scenario as contingent on the act of showing something.

on the condition that we showed

Similar to 'provided', but emphasizes a stricter requirement for the hypothetical situation.

FAQs

How is "had we shown" used in a sentence?

"Had we shown" introduces a past conditional statement. It's followed by a clause expressing the hypothetical result. Example: "Had we shown more interest, they might have supported us."

What's a more common way to say "had we shown"?

A more common alternative is "if we had shown". Both constructions introduce a hypothetical past condition.

Is it correct to say "if we would have shown" instead of "had we shown"?

No, "if we would have shown" is generally incorrect. The correct form is "if we had shown" or "had we shown". The 'would have' is used in the result clause, not the conditional clause.

What does "had we shown" imply?

"Had we shown" implies that a particular action or demonstration did not occur in the past, and then speculates on the possible consequences if it had.