heard

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "heard" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the act of perceiving sound or receiving information from someone. Example: "I heard the news about the promotion and couldn't believe it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I heard about that.

The New York Times

Have you heard?

The Economist

Supposedly, or so I have heard, some expect my speech to pave the way for a fundamental reform of the European architecture, which will satisfy all kinds of alleged or actual British wishes.

The Guardian

When the Labour leader said no, a lowing sound could be heard, the noise of an audience uniting in sceptical rejection of the man before them – a reminder that one of Miliband's greatest errors since 2010 was his failure to debunk the narrative that blames Labour profligacy for the country's fiscal troubles.

The Guardian

"When I heard this, frankly, I choked on my porridge and I thought it must be April Fools' day," Cameron said.

The Guardian

"I have also heard that others are expecting the exact opposite and are hoping that I will deliver the clear and simple message here in London that the rest of Europe is not prepared to pay almost any price to keep Britain in the EU.

The Guardian

He has not been heard from since.

The New York Times

In the days that I followed Jones around, I heard several people who ran training programs in green professions complain that once their students had graduated they couldn't find work.

The Economist

After Shad mentioned the words "gay" and "marriage," we heard Peter's wife hiss, "Don't talk to those people!" Peter rolled his eyes slightly, stepped out onto the porch, and shut the door behind him.

The Economist

It is difficult to have a voice when you're a small organisation like us so this does help us be seen and heard a little bit," he said.

The Guardian

But the number we have heard is actually not £20m, it is £200m.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "heard" to describe the perception of sound or the reception of information. Ensure that the context clearly indicates whether you're referring to auditory perception or receiving news or reports.

Common error

Avoid confusing "heard", the past tense of "hear", with "herd", a noun referring to a group of animals or people. Ensure correct spelling and context to maintain clarity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "heard" is as the past tense and past participle of the verb "hear." It indicates the action of perceiving sound or receiving information in the past. Ludwig examples confirm its usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "heard" functions primarily as the past tense of "hear", denoting the act of perceiving sound or receiving information. It's grammatically correct, very common, and predominantly found in news and media contexts. Ludwig AI confirms that "heard" is widely used and accepted. To ensure clarity, avoid confusion with "herd" and consider alternatives like "overheard" or "was told" depending on the context. Use "heard" to clearly indicate a past event involving auditory perception or the reception of information.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

overheard

Implies accidentally hearing something not intended for the listener.

was told

Indicates receiving information from another person.

understood

Focuses on the comprehension of what was communicated.

learnt

Suggests acquiring knowledge through hearing or being informed.

gathered

Implies inferring information from what was heard.

detected

Emphasizes the perception of a subtle or faint sound.

listened to

Highlights the act of paying attention to sound.

picked up

Suggests acquiring information informally or casually.

received word

Formal way of saying that information was received.

got wind of

Implies learning about something through rumor or gossip.

FAQs

How can I use "heard" in a sentence?

You can use "heard" to describe perceiving sound, as in, "I "heard a noise"", or receiving information, as in, "I "heard about the news"".

What can I say instead of "heard"?

You can use alternatives like "overheard", "was told", or "understood" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "I have heard" or "I heard"?

Both "I have heard" and "I heard" are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different nuances. "I have heard" implies that the information was received at some point in the past, while "I heard" typically refers to a more recent or specific instance.

What's the difference between "heard" and "listened"?

"Heard" simply means to perceive sound, while "listened" implies paying attention to the sound. For example, "I "heard the music"" means you perceived the sound, whereas "I "listened to the music"" means you paid attention to it.