i had run

USAGE SUMMARY

"I had run" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is a past perfect verb phrase, which is used to talk about an action that happened before another past action or moment in time. Example: "I had run a marathon the day before, so I was very tired during the race today." In this sentence, "had run" indicates that the action of running a marathon happened before the race mentioned in the second part of the sentence. Another example: "I had run out of flour, so I couldn't make pancakes for breakfast." In this sentence, "had run" shows that the action of running out of flour happened before the action of not being able to make pancakes. This phrase can also be used to show causality or reason. For example: "I had run every day for a month, so I was in great shape for the race." Here, "had run" suggests that the past action of running every day resulted in the present state of being in good shape. In summary, "I had run" can be used when talking about a past action that happened before another past action or moment, or to show causality or reason for a present situation.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I had run out.

The New Yorker

I had run nearly 30 marathons.

The New York Times

I had run into C trigraphs (gcc documentation).

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

No, I had run it before.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"Many times I had run it.

The Guardian - Sport

I had run away, so I was happy!

The New Yorker

"I believed that I had run a strong campaign.

The New York Times

But I had run fairly high there earlier.

The New York Times - Sports

I had run a division that made windows.

Harvard Business Review

Fortunately, I had run into the jungle to hide.

The Guardian

"I had run across the Green Line demarcations.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I had run" to clearly establish that the running action concluded before another event or time in the past, creating a chronological order in your narrative.

Common error

Avoid using "I had run" when you simply mean to state that you ran at some point in the past without needing to specify its completion relative to another past event. "I ran" is sufficient in those cases.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I had run" functions as the past perfect tense, indicating an action (running) completed before another point in time or event in the past. Ludwig confirms that this is a grammatically correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Academia

10%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I had run" is a grammatically sound and frequently used past perfect verb phrase. According to Ludwig, it serves to establish that the action of running occurred before another event in the past. Examples show it appears most often in News & Media, but also sees usage in Academia. While widely accepted and versatile, remember to use it specifically when establishing a sequence of past events to avoid any confusion with simple past tense. It's a powerful tool to help the reader understand the order in which events happened.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

i had already run

Adds emphasis on the action being completed prior.

prior to that, i ran

Emphasizes temporal precedence using a formal tone.

before that, i ran

Adds explicit temporal sequencing.

i ran

Simple past tense, lacks the emphasis on completion before another past event.

i had sprinted

Specifies a type of running, implying a fast pace.

i had jogged

Specifies a type of running, implying a slower pace.

i had raced

Implies a competitive running event.

i completed my run

Focuses on the completion of the activity.

i was done running

Rephrases to emphasize a state of completion.

i used to run

Indicates a habitual past action, now discontinued.

FAQs

How do I use "I had run" in a sentence?

Use "I had run" to indicate an action of running that was completed before another point in the past. For example: "I had run five miles before I realized I was going the wrong way."

What is the difference between "I ran" and "I had run"?

"I ran" refers to a past action. "I had run" indicates a past action completed before another past action. For example, "I ran yesterday" vs "I had run before the rain started".

What can I say instead of "I had run"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "I ran", "I had already run", or "I completed my run".

Is "I have run" the same as "I had run"?

No, "I have run" (present perfect) connects a past action to the present. "I had run" (past perfect) connects a past action to another action in the past. For instance, "I have run today" vs. "I had run before the sun came up."