had been adjourned

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been adjourned" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in formal contexts, such as legal or parliamentary proceedings, to indicate that a meeting or session has been temporarily suspended or postponed. Example: "The court had been adjourned until the following week to allow for further evidence to be gathered."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Algeria said the talks had been adjourned.

The New York Times

The case had been adjourned from 6 March.

The Guardian

He emerged about 30 minutes later to announce it had been adjourned until late afternoon.

The Guardian

A prison guard later said the court had been adjourned to 16 September.

The Guardian

The trial had been adjourned since May 11 to reschedule witnesses.

The New York Times

The coroner's spokeswoman said the inquest had been adjourned for six months but that no date had yet been set.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

The case has been adjourned.

The Economist

The inquest has been adjourned until December.

The Guardian

The trial has been adjourned repeatedly.

The Guardian

The case has been adjourned until July 15.

The New York Times

The inquest has been adjourned until next Wednesday.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been adjourned" to clearly indicate that a meeting, trial, or other formal event was temporarily suspended at a point in the past. It emphasizes the completed action of adjournment.

Common error

Avoid using "had been adjourned" when a simple past tense like "was adjourned" is sufficient if the specific timeframe isn't critical. Overusing the perfect tense can make writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "had been adjourned" is to serve as a passive perfect construction indicating that an action (adjournment) was completed before a certain point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable structure in written English. The examples from Ludwig show its use in describing legal proceedings, meetings, and other formal events.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

82%

Formal & Business

9%

Science

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been adjourned" is a grammatically sound phrase commonly employed to convey that a meeting, trial, or another formal event was temporarily suspended at some point in the past. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's frequently found in news and media contexts. While alternatives like ""was postponed"" or ""was suspended"" exist, "had been adjourned" maintains a formal tone and clearly indicates a temporary halt with the expectation of resuming at a later time. When writing, it's beneficial to use this phrase to show the action completion in the past.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was postponed

Replaces the passive perfect construction with a simple past passive, indicating a delay.

was suspended

Indicates a temporary halt, similar to adjournment, but can sometimes imply a more serious or indefinite pause.

was recessed

Specifically used for breaks in formal proceedings, like court or legislative sessions.

was put on hold

A more general term for temporarily stopping something.

was deferred

Implies postponement to a later time, often unspecified.

was continued

Primarily used in legal contexts to mean the case was extended to a future date.

was tabled

Means the matter was set aside for later discussion, often in a meeting context.

was interrupted

Focuses on the act of stopping rather than the intention of resuming later.

broke off

Suggests an abrupt ending or cessation of talks or meetings.

was prorogued

Specifically refers to the ending of a parliamentary session.

FAQs

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

The phrase "had been adjourned" indicates that an event, typically a meeting or legal proceeding, was temporarily suspended at some point in the past. For instance, "The trial "had been adjourned" until next week."

What are some alternatives to "had been adjourned"?

You can use alternatives like "was postponed", "was suspended", or "was put on hold" depending on the context. Each carries a slightly different nuance regarding the reason and expected duration of the interruption.

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

Both "has been adjourned" and "had been adjourned" are grammatically correct, but they refer to different timeframes. "Has been adjourned" indicates that the adjournment is relevant to the present, while "had been adjourned" refers to a past event that may or may not have present relevance.

What is the difference between "adjourned" and "postponed"?

"Adjourned" typically refers to a temporary suspension within a formal setting like a meeting or court session, with the expectation of reconvening. "Postponed" /s/was+postponed is a more general term for delaying an event to a later date, which may or may not be specified and doesn't necessarily imply a formal setting.