i had not had a book vs i had not a book

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'I had not had a book' is the more common and natural way to express the idea that at a specific point in the past, you did not possess a book. 'I had not a book' is less common and may sound a bit old-fashioned or formal.

Last updated: March 17, 2024 • 3362 views

i had not had a book

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used to indicate that at a specific point in the past, you did not possess a book.

Examples:

I had not had a book to read during my vacation.
She realized she had not had a book to study for the exam.
He said he had not had a book to give to his friend.
They had not had a book to share with the class.
The library had closed, and I had not had a book to read at home.

Show examples from the web [+]

I had written novels that starred defense attorneys, judges and police detectives, but since my first novel, Heartstone, I had not had a book where a district ...
My income depended solely upon the sale of magazine rights. I had not had a book published at that time, and therefore no book royalties were coming in.
I had not had a book out in my own right for eight years. Though I had written books for my day job, Heritage Officer with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County ...

Alternatives:

I did not have a book
I had no book
I had not owned a book
I had not possessed a book
I had not acquired a book

i had not a book

This phrase is correct but less common in modern English.

This phrase is also used to indicate the absence of a book in the past, but it may sound more formal or old-fashioned.

Show examples from the web [+]

Jun 3, 2013 ... what silence has settled within us. “The way an ant walks” sent me back to a poem I wrote in a moment of waiting when I had not a book but a ...
Dec 1, 2012 ... ... to keep them straight because I had anywhere from 8 to 10 characters talking to me at once, telling me that I had, not a book, but a series.
Dec 1, 2012 ... ... to keep them straight because I had anywhere from 8 to 10 characters talking to me at once, telling me that I had, not a book, but a series.
Dec 1, 2012 ... ... to keep them straight because I had anywhere from 8 to 10 characters talking to me at once, telling me that I had, not a book, but a series.

Alternatives:

I did not have a book
I had no book
I had not owned a book
I had not possessed a book
I had not acquired a book

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i had not had a book vs i had not a book