night had already been falling vs night had already fallen

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Night had already been falling' implies a gradual process of nightfall, while 'night had already fallen' indicates that the nightfall had already completed. The choice between the two depends on the specific nuance the speaker wants to convey.

Last updated: March 25, 2024 • 1577 views

This phrase is correct and implies a gradual process of nightfall.

"night had already been falling"

This phrase is used to describe the ongoing process of nightfall, suggesting that it was in progress at a certain point in the past.

Show examples from the web [+]

It was a freezing January day, night was already falling.
But her secret had already been discovered.
Bisato claims your daughter had already been threatened.
All this had already been mentioned in previous reports.
Similar declarations had already been made earlier regarding Russia.
Parliament had already been willing to enter dialogue, since it supported the principle of shared legislative power.
This had already been commented on in the 2006 audit report.
This had already been commented on in the 2006 audit report.
The Vienna/Amsterdam, Amsterdam/Vienna direct overnight connection had already been withdrawn in mid-December 2002.
The vessels had already been fishing for some nine months.
The overall travel budget had already been cut by 5% for 2012.
Mr Barroso replied that the issue of cyber security had already been discussed at the last summit with President Obama.
As inspections had already been carried out before Asahi/Glaverbel's application, immunity under point 8(a) was no longer available.
1st report received said that the fireplace had already been inspected.
But the decision had already been made.
He had already been dead for two hours before we got there.
By my time, it had already been destroyed.
He had already been to the Umschlagplatz looking for us.
There was a German officer posted there... who had already been bribed.
Somehow this had already been decided.

Alternatives:

night was falling
night was descending

This phrase is correct and indicates that the nightfall had already completed.

"night had already fallen"

This phrase is used to convey that the nightfall was complete at a specific time in the past.

Show examples from the web [+]

Night had already fallen when we reached a station, but it was too dark to read the name on a sign.
Most of my men had already fallen.
I had already fallen in love with Clay.
What he didn't realize was that most European nations had already fallen prey to the central bankers decades or centuries earlier.
And all you had to do was be there for Ben, And he would fall for you like you had already fallen for him.
While consumption on the Community market increased, in 1996, i.e. immediately after the imposition of the duty in 1995, the market share of Russia had already fallen below 1 %.
And all you had to do was be there for Ben, and he would fall for you like you had already fallen for him.
While its international operations accounted for around 26 % of loans in 2010 [68], that share had already fallen to 20 % at the end of 2012 and will further decrease to [...] % by the end of 2018 [69].
On 30 June 2012, it had already fallen to EUR 411 billion, i.e. a decrease of over 37 % in comparison with the size of Dexia's balance sheet on 31 December 2008 (EUR 651 billion), when the first State aid was granted.
On 30 June 2012 this had already fallen to EUR 411 billion, a decrease of over 37 % on the size of its balance sheet on 31 December 2008 (EUR 651 billion), when the first State aid was granted.
The Berlin Wall has already fallen.
You've already fallen for someby else.
Back home, the first snow has already fallen.
I've already fallen for you.
Some 700000 people have already fallen victim to this policy.
Increasingly often, children are adopting fashions and trends to which adults have already fallen victim.
Has Sweden already fallen that low?
She'd already fallen for him.
My study group has already fallen apart.
He's already fallen for you.

Alternatives:

night fell
night descended

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night had already been falling vs night had already fallen