had already been given

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had already been given" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something has already been done, usually in the past. For example, "The instructions had already been given before the meeting began."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The foul had already been given.

The Guardian - Sport

A down payment had already been given.

The New Yorker

Nonbelievers had already been given the nod — sort of.

The New Yorker

Mr. Serkin had already been given her number.

The New York Times

The authorities said that appointment letters had already been given to the new recruits.

The New York Times

But they had already been given some brief training — or retraining — sessions.

The New York Times

(Manning, as it happens, had already been given her diagnosis — by an Army psychologist).

The New Yorker

He had a job and had already been given a rise.

The Guardian

The patients had already been given several other treatments and had run out of options.

The New York Times

Porter's statement at the preliminary hearing had already been given under circumstances closely approximating those that surround the typical trial.

Cornell University

The status of one of Oregon's three electors which had already been given to Tilden was also in question.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had already been given" to clearly indicate that an action of giving or granting was completed before another event in the past. This helps establish a clear sequence of events.

Common error

Avoid using "had already been given" when the context requires the present perfect tense. For example, instead of "The award had already been given today", use "The award has already been given today" to reflect an action completed in the present.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had already been given" functions as a past perfect passive construction. It describes an action that was completed before a specific point in the past. Ludwig provides several examples demonstrating its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Academia

23%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

13%

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had already been given" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is used to indicate an action completed before a specific point in the past. Its versatile usage spans from formal academic writing to news articles, showcasing its widespread applicability. When writing, it is important to ensure that the context warrants the past perfect tense to accurately convey the sequence of events. Consider alternatives like "was previously granted" or "had previously received" to add nuance or variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was previously granted

Emphasizes the act of granting something before a certain time.

had previously received

Focuses on the act of receiving something before a certain time.

had been previously allocated

Highlights the allocation of resources or items that occurred earlier.

was formerly provided

Indicates that something was provided at an earlier time.

had earlier been awarded

Focuses on the act of awarding something in the past.

had previously been assigned

Highlights the act of assigning someone to something before a certain time.

was formerly bestowed

Indicates the act of bestowing something with honor or importance at an earlier time.

had already been delivered

Focuses on the act of delivering something that occurred earlier.

had been dispensed previously

Emphasizes the dispensing or distribution of something before the present.

had been handed out before

Indicates the act of handing out or distributing something in the past.

FAQs

How do I use "had already been given" in a sentence?

Use "had already been given" to indicate that something was given or granted before a specific point in the past. For example, "The instructions "had already been given" before the meeting started".

What are some alternatives to "had already been given"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "was previously granted", "had previously received", or "had been previously allocated".

What's the difference between "had already been given" and "has already been given"?

"Had already been given" refers to a past action completed before another point in the past, while "has already been given" refers to an action completed before the present. For instance, "The information "had already been given" when he arrived" versus "The information "has already been given" today".

Is it correct to say "was already given" instead of "had already been given"?

While "was already given" can be grammatically correct in some contexts, ""had already been given"" is more precise when you need to emphasize that the action occurred before another point in the past. Using "was" may lack this specific temporal clarity.