had become able to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had become able to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone or something has gained the ability to do something in the past. Example: "After months of training, she had become able to run a marathon."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

A stroke victim had become able to feed himself.

The New York Times

A movie of hyperswarmers starkly illustrates how different they had become, able to fill up the entire dish.

The New York Times - Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Tens of millions of people have become able to afford expensive cures.

The Economist

It is owing to such ties that Australia has become able to leverage influence in the region, whether on human rights or in efforts to fight international crime.

The New York Times

"Arlo himself is what we would have become, able to articulate and have certain emotions and connection to family," Sohn told Yahoo recently.

The Guardian - Film

Fetish culture has proliferated online as people with any turn-on imaginable have become able to find like-minded companions.

Vice

How is someone like Woodcock, who says cold-call centers demonstrate "how decrepit capitalism has become," able to do this?

Vice

How is someone like Jamie, who says cold call centres demonstrate "how decrepit capitalism has become", able to do this?

Vice

"Our national life," wrote Prus, "will take a normal course only when we have become a useful, indispensable element of civilization, when we have become able to give nothing for free and to demand nothing for free".

Wikipedia

However, their increasing number would have led to the depletion of essential nutrients imposing a progressively stronger selective pressure that, in turn, favoured those (micro organisms that have become able to synthesize the nutrients whose concentration was decreasing in the primordial soup.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

In conjunction with the completion of the rice genome sequencing project, QTL analysis has become able to contribute to our understanding of natural variations in rice, thereby producing an enormous amount of information concerning their basis, such as chromosomal location of genes, allelic effects, epistatic interactions and so on.

DNA Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had become able to", ensure the context clearly establishes the prior state of inability to emphasize the transformation.

Common error

Avoid using "able" redundantly. For example, instead of saying "had become able to be able to", rephrase to "had become able to" or "had gained the ability to".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had become able to" functions as a verb phrase indicating a past perfect progressive state of acquiring an ability. It describes a change in capacity, where someone or something has transitioned from a state of inability to a state of ability. Ludwig AI confirms its usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had become able to" is a verb phrase indicating a past perfect progressive state of acquiring an ability. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. While it is suitable for neutral and slightly formal contexts, writers should be mindful of potential redundancy and strive for clarity in their expression. It is most frequently encountered in "News & Media", "Science", and "Formal & Business" contexts, indicating its versatility across professional and academic domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had gained the capacity to

Focuses on the acquisition of capacity rather than ability.

had developed the skill to

Highlights the development of a specific skill.

had acquired the aptitude for

Emphasizes innate aptitude that was obtained.

had grown capable of

Implies a gradual increase in capability.

had learned how to

Focuses specifically on the process of learning a new skill.

had been empowered to

Suggests that the ability was granted by an external force.

had become proficient in

Highlights a high level of skill in a particular area.

had achieved competence in

Focuses on reaching a satisfactory level of skill.

had mastered the art of

Implies a high level of skill and expertise.

had been enabled to

Suggests that the ability was made possible through external factors or assistance.

FAQs

What's a more formal way to say "had become able to"?

In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "had acquired the capacity to" or "had attained the skill to" for a more sophisticated tone.

Is there a difference between "had become able to" and "had been able to"?

"Had become able to" emphasizes the process of gaining the ability, while "had been able to" simply states the existence of the ability at a past time.

Can I replace "had become able to" with "could"?

While "could" can sometimes replace "had become able to", it doesn't always convey the same sense of development or change in ability. The suitability depends on the specific context. For example: "After training, she "could" run faster" versus "After training, she "had become able to" run faster".

What words usually follow "had become able to"?

Typically, a verb expressing the action the subject is now capable of performing follows "had become able to", such as "run", "speak", or "understand".