had worked on

USAGE SUMMARY

'had worked on' is correct and usable in written English.
It is a past perfect verb phrase, used to refer to a prior action that has been completed in the past. Example: She had worked on her English project for months before it was due.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

How could Britain's biggest newspaper and everything so many people had worked on be gone?

Independent

Respondents answered in relation to one project they had worked on in the UK in the previous five years.

Heritage Science

Nutter highlighted it as one of the most enjoyable entries that he had worked on.

Wikipedia

Historically, Americans had worked on Saturday.

The New York Times

Developers said they had worked on it.

The New York Times

He had worked on piracy.

The Guardian

Hornig had worked on the Manhattan Project.

The New Yorker

He also interviewed people who had worked on "Cleopatra".

The New York Times - Books

He had worked on lucrative business deals with the team.

The New York Times - Sports

"This was the highest-profile athlete I had worked on.

The New York Times - Sports

Auditors in those three offices had worked on Ahold's books.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had worked on" to clearly indicate that an action was completed before another point in the past. This helps to establish a timeline and avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "worked on" when "had worked on" is required to establish the correct past perfect tense. For example, instead of saying "I worked on the project before I left the company", say "I "had worked on" the project before I left the company" to show that the work was completed before the departure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had worked on" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, indicating a completed action prior to another point in the past. Ludwig's examples show its usage in various contexts, emphasizing prior involvement and effort.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had worked on" is a past perfect verb phrase used to indicate an action completed before another point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in various contexts. It's commonly found in news and media, science, and wiki sources, and serves the purpose of establishing a sequence of events, clarifying timelines and prior engagements. To ensure correct usage, remember to use it when indicating actions completed before another past action, avoiding simple past tense where past perfect is needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had contributed to

Focuses on the contribution aspect, implying involvement and input into a project.

had participated in

Emphasizes the act of taking part in a task or project, highlighting involvement.

had been involved in

Highlights the state of being engaged or implicated in a task or project.

had labored on

Conveys a sense of effort and diligence applied to a specific task or project.

had devoted time to

Emphasizes the investment of time and effort into a particular project or activity.

had been employed on

Highlights the aspect of being hired or assigned to a specific task or project.

had exerted effort on

Focuses on the expenditure of energy and resources into a project or task.

had toiled on

Implies hard and continuous work on a specific task or project, often over a long period.

had collaborated with

Highlights working jointly with others on a project, focusing on teamwork.

had addressed

Implies taking action to deal with an issue or problem, signifying a focus on resolution.

FAQs

How is "had worked on" used in a sentence?

"Had worked on" indicates an action completed before another point in the past. For example, "She "had worked on" the report for weeks before presenting it to the team."

What are some alternatives to "had worked on"?

Alternatives include "had contributed to", "had participated in", or "had been involved in depending on the specific context".

What's the difference between "worked on" and "had worked on"?

"Worked on" indicates a simple past action, while "had worked on" indicates an action completed before another past action. "I worked on the project yesterday" vs. "I "had worked on" the project before the deadline."

Is it correct to say "I have worked on" instead of "had worked on"?

Using "I have worked on" implies a connection to the present. It's suitable when the experience is relevant now. "I have worked on similar projects, so I'm qualified." "Had worked on" is used exclusively for past events with a clear sequence.