had been accepted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been accepted" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used in the past perfect tense, which is used to talk about something that happened before another event in the past. For example: "By the time I arrived at the university, my application had been accepted."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I had been accepted to Princeton.

Princeton University

"She had been accepted after all".

The New York Times

I felt, finally, as if I had been accepted.

The New Yorker

Of course I wish those safeguards had been accepted.

The Economist

She had been accepted to college, and gotten a scholarship.

The New York Times

The defendant's own son had been accepted at Yale.

The New Yorker

Esther's friend Phoebe Gardener had been accepted to Dartmouth.

The New York Times

(About 300 other students had been accepted early).

The New York Times

She had been accepted for a Harvard MBA.

The Guardian

The good news was that his claim had been accepted.

The Guardian

The government said Dr. Abenhaim's resignation had been accepted.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been accepted" to clearly indicate that an action or decision occurred before another point in the past. This helps establish a clear sequence of events.

Common error

Avoid using "has been accepted" when referring to a past event that precedes another past event. "Has been accepted" implies that the acceptance is relevant to the present.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been accepted" functions as the past perfect passive form of the verb "accept". It's used to indicate that something was accepted before a specific point in the past, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

35%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been accepted" is a grammatically sound and frequently used construction in English, as confirmed by Ludwig. It functions as the past perfect passive tense, essential for establishing a clear sequence of events in the past. While versatile across various contexts, it is most commonly found in News & Media and Academic writing. Remember to use "had been accepted" to indicate that an action or decision happened before another past event. Avoid using it interchangeably with "has been accepted", which implies present relevance. By following these guidelines, you can effectively use "had been accepted" to convey precise timelines in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was admitted

Replaces the passive voice "had been accepted" with a more direct, active voice construction.

was granted acceptance

Emphasizes the act of granting acceptance, making it more formal.

received approval

Focuses on the approval aspect rather than the acceptance itself.

had gained entry

Highlights the gaining of entry or admission as a result of acceptance.

was welcomed

Implies a more positive and inclusive reception.

had qualified

Indicates that certain requirements were met, leading to acceptance.

had been chosen

Emphasizes the selection process, suggesting a competitive environment.

was selected

Focuses on the act of being selected from a larger group.

had been confirmed

Suggests that acceptance was initially tentative but later made official.

was ratified

Implies a formal process of validation or approval.

FAQs

How is "had been accepted" used in a sentence?

"Had been accepted" indicates an action completed before another point in the past. For example, "By the time I arrived, my application "had been accepted"."

What are some alternatives to "had been accepted"?

Alternatives include "was admitted", "received approval", or "was selected", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "has been accepted" instead of "had been accepted"?

The choice depends on the timeline. "Has been accepted" indicates present relevance, while "had been accepted" refers to a past action completed before another event in the past.

What's the difference between "had been accepted" and "was accepted"?

"Was accepted" indicates a simple past action, while "had been accepted" emphasizes that the action occurred before another point in the past. For instance, "I learned I "was accepted" yesterday" versus "By the time I checked, I "had been accepted"."