we had planned

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'we had planned' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that you and perhaps other people had thought about or intended to do in the past, but which did not happen. Example: "We had planned to go for a picnic, but it started to rain so we had to change our plans."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

We had planned to eat there.

The New York Times - Travel

Our design worked as we had planned.

Cornell University

But we had planned for all this.

The Guardian - Opinion

"We had planned just a playful parody.

The Guardian - Books

It wasn't the meeting we had planned.

The Guardian - Arts

We had planned a good ending for the show.

Independent

We had planned a good ending to the show.

Independent

"We had planned to have at least three children.

The New York Times

"We had planned parenthood, with big plans," he said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Because, when does life ever really turn out how we had planned or hoped?

Huffington Post

Accordingly, we could not open centres successively as we had planned initially.

British Medical Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we had planned" to clearly indicate a past intention that was subsequently altered or unrealized. This helps to manage expectations and explain deviations from earlier strategies.

Common error

Avoid using "we had planned" when you actually mean "we had hoped". Planning implies a concrete set of actions, while hoping suggests a desire without a definite course.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we had planned" functions as a past perfect verb phrase. It indicates an action of planning that was completed before another point in the past. It aligns with Ludwig AI's assessment of its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

24%

Science

22%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "we had planned" is a grammatically sound and frequently used past perfect verb phrase. As Ludwig AI confirms, it effectively conveys a past intention or arrangement that has since been modified or abandoned. It appears across a wide range of contexts, from News & Media and Academia to Science and Formal & Business settings. While versatile, writers should be mindful to use it when intending to refer to an unrealized, concrete action of planning, instead of a mere wish. When a more formal tone is required, alternatives such as "it was our intention" may be preferred.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we intended

Focuses on the intention behind the action, rather than the specific planning.

it was our intention

A more formal way of expressing the same idea, emphasizing intent.

we were going to

Indicates a future action in the past, implying less formal planning.

we aimed

Similar to 'intended' but with a sense of striving towards a goal.

we had anticipated

Emphasizes expecting something to happen, not necessarily a deliberate plan.

we mapped out

Focuses on creating a detailed plan or strategy.

we scheduled

Suggests a formal arrangement of events with specific timings.

we arranged

Highlights the act of organizing and preparing something.

we envisioned

Highlights a mental image of the future, not necessarily a concrete plan.

we projected

Implies forecasting and expecting a certain outcome, often in a business context.

FAQs

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

Use "we had planned" to express an intention from the past that has been altered or canceled, like in "We had planned to launch the product in Q3, but delays pushed it to Q4."

What is a more formal alternative to "we had planned"?

A more formal alternative would be "it was our intention" or "we originally intended". For example, "It was our intention to complete the project by May".

Which is correct, "we had planned" or "we were planning"?

Both are correct but have different meanings. "We had planned" indicates a completed action of planning, while "we were planning" suggests an ongoing process of planning. The choice depends on the specific context.

What's the difference between "we had planned" and "we had expected"?

"We had planned" refers to a specific set of actions that were arranged, while "we had expected" indicates an anticipation or belief about a future event, not necessarily involving prior arrangements.