Which one is correct?
"had the experience of" or "had experience of"?

Question

Which one is correct?
"had the experience of" or "had experience of"?

TextRanch: The best way to perfect your writing.

Discover why 1,062,726 users count on TextRanch to get their English corrected!

One of our experts will correct your English.

100% Human-Powered Editing!

This phrase is used when you want to highlight a particular experience that someone has had. It adds emphasis to the experience.

Examples:

I had the experience of skydiving for the first time last summer.
She had the experience of living in a foreign country for a year.
He had the experience of meeting his favorite author in person.

Alternatives:

experienced
gone through
encountered
undergone
had firsthand experience of

This phrase is used to indicate that someone has had some kind of experience in a general sense, without emphasizing a specific experience.

Examples:

She had experience of working in various industries.
He had experience of dealing with difficult customers.
They had experience of traveling to different countries.

Alternatives:

had experience with
had experience in
been through
been experienced in
had practical experience of

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Had the experience of' is more commonly used when emphasizing a specific experience, while 'had experience of' is more general and less common. The choice between them depends on the level of emphasis you want to convey.

Last Updated: March 28, 2024