having paid

USAGE SUMMARY

"having paid" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to refer to an action that happened in the past. For example, "Having paid their taxes, the couple was relieved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Having paid equally, all would benefit equally.

The Economist

It was a matter of having paid our dues.

The New Yorker

Having paid for college, they were clear but firm.

The New York Times - Sports

"Having paid the bill," he says, "I pushed off".

The New York Times - Magazine

Three courses later, I left, having paid $58.

The New York Times - Food

"It's an emblem of having paid my dues," he said.

The New York Times - Style

They each recall having paid for the ring.

The New York Times - Magazine

And obviously not having paid time off is a downside.

The Guardian

They are legally licensed, having paid music companies some money.

The New York Times - Tech

And then, having paid the cab man, "I suppose you want some uplifting remarks".

The Economist

He did not need the money, having paid off the mortgages on his properties.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "having paid" to clearly indicate that an action occurred before another. This helps to establish chronological order in your writing, creating a cause-and-effect relationship that enhances clarity. For instance, "Having paid the invoice, the company promptly shipped the goods" clearly shows the payment preceded the shipment.

Common error

Avoid placing a comma directly after "having paid" when it's followed by the direct object of the verb. For example, it is incorrect to write "Having paid, the bill, he left." Instead, the comma should come after the entire introductory phrase: "Having paid the bill, he left."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "having paid" functions as an adverbial participle phrase, modifying the main clause by indicating a prior action. As Ludwig AI shows, it sets the context or reason for the subsequent event.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Science

12%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "having paid" is a grammatically correct and frequently used perfect gerund phrase that indicates a completed action of payment before another event. As shown by Ludwig, it's prevalent in News & Media and science contexts. Although considered grammatically correct, as Ludwig AI confirms, it's essential to use it with proper punctuation. For varied sentence structures and emphasis, consider alternatives such as "after payment" or "once payment was made". This phrase is a valuable tool for establishing clear chronological order in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after payment

Replaces the gerund phrase with a prepositional phrase, focusing on the time following the payment.

having settled the bill

Substitutes "paid" with "settled the bill", specifying what was paid.

once payment was made

Transforms the phrase into a subordinate clause, emphasizing the completion of the payment.

with payment completed

Uses a prepositional phrase with a past participle, highlighting the finished state of the payment.

once the fee was paid

Expresses completion using a passive construction focusing on the fee.

on completion of payment

Similar to "after payment", but more formal and emphasizes the act of completing the payment.

upon paying

Uses a preposition before the gerund "paying" for a slightly different emphasis.

following remittance

A more formal and business-oriented way of saying "after paying".

after having remitted

Retains the perfect construction but uses 'remitted' for a more formal tone.

after the funds were transferred

More specific, indicating a method of payment and emphasizing the transfer of funds.

FAQs

How can I use "having paid" in a sentence?

"Having paid" introduces a past action that is relevant to the main clause. For example, "Having paid the debt, he felt a sense of relief" indicates that the feeling of relief is a result of paying the debt.

What are some alternatives to using "having paid"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "after paying", "once payment was made", or "with payment completed" to express a similar meaning while varying your sentence structure.

Is it grammatically correct to say "having paid"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "Having paid" is a perfect gerund phrase that functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating an action completed before the main action of the sentence.

What's the difference between "after paying" and "having paid"?

While both phrases indicate that an action happened in the past, "having paid" emphasizes the completion of the payment before the subsequent action. "After paying" is a more general statement about the sequence of events.