we had commenced

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we had commenced" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action or process has started in the past, often in relation to another past event. Example: "By the time the meeting started, we had commenced the project planning phase."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

There is a very nice overlap in 1969 that made it a useful period for the purposes of our developing occult plot line that we had commenced in the 1910 volume.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"We have commenced an internal investigation and are also fully committed to assisting the NRL.

The Guardian - Sport

Regarding Vietnam, we've commenced consultation and review regarding the possible provision of patrol boats".

Independent

"We've commenced discussions with possible financiers [of the mine] – we met with banks and we will redouble those efforts.

The Guardian

"We take matters such as this very seriously and we have commenced a full internal investigation into the allegations.

The Guardian

We have commenced taking action and will work closely with the government on a longer-term plan".

The Guardian - Sport

"We are seeking maximum recovery of our loss and we have commenced legal proceedings for this purpose".

The New York Times

It added: "However, given the seriousness of the allegations, we have commenced an investigation and await a final copy of the documentary before it can be concluded.

The Guardian

"While we have full confidence in Mr Ailes and Mr Doocy, who have served the company brilliantly for over two decades, we have commenced an internal review of the matter".

The Guardian

"Our repeated calls for greater Google advert transparency, or for Google to comply with their own code of conduct, have been ignored, and in order to prevent thousands more consumers being misled on the Google search engine, we have commenced these high court proceedings.

The Guardian - Business

We have commenced a multi-phase project to experimentally measure the power and energy of a 1 16-scale tunneling vehicle.

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we had commenced" when you want to emphasize that an action started before another point in the past. It's often used in formal or official contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "commence" in very informal conversations or writing. Simpler alternatives like "started" or "began" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we had commenced" functions as a past perfect tense, indicating an action that began and concluded (or was in progress) before another point in the past. This usage is validated by Ludwig, and is present throughout the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "we had commenced" is a grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that an action began before a specific point in the past. Ludwig confirms its validity and demonstrates its occurrence in diverse contexts, predominantly within news, scientific, and formal business settings. While versatile, remember that simpler terms like "started" or "began" may be preferable in informal scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we had started

Replaces "commenced" with a more common synonym, "started".

we had begun

Uses "begun" instead of "commenced", another frequently used synonym.

we initiated

Substitutes "commenced" with "initiated", suggesting a more formal start.

we undertook

Replaces "commenced" with "undertook", implying a more significant endeavor.

we launched

Substitutes "commenced" with "launched", indicating a formal or public beginning.

we set about

Replaces "had commenced" with "set about", a more idiomatic alternative.

we got underway

Uses the idiomatic phrase "got underway" instead of "had commenced".

we put in motion

Implies starting something that involves many parts or people.

we inaugurated

More appropriate for formal events.

we activated

More related to starting an entity.

FAQs

How can I use "we had commenced" in a sentence?

Use "we had commenced" to indicate that your group or organization started something before a specific time in the past. For instance, "By the time the funding was approved, "we had commenced" preliminary research".

What are some alternatives to "we had commenced"?

You can use alternatives such as "we had started", "we had begun", or "we initiated", depending on the level of formality you want to convey.

Is "we commenced" or "we had commenced" more appropriate?

"We commenced" implies a simple past action, while "we had commenced" indicates that the action started and was completed or in progress before another event in the past. The choice depends on the specific timeline you want to express.

When is it better to use "we had commenced" instead of "we started"?

Use "we had commenced" when you need to emphasize the sequence of past events, specifically that the commencement happened before another point in time. "We started" is more general and doesn't necessarily imply a prior event.