had been adjusted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been adjusted" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something was modified or changed in the past, often in relation to a specific time or event. Example: "The settings had been adjusted to improve the performance of the device before the final test."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He also suggested that official figures from US government agencies had been "adjusted".

The Guardian

(For the M&M event, images had been adjusted in advance).

The New York Times - Tech

By the time he returned, the Sunday Times accounts had been adjusted to show a diminished value.

The Guardian

After the design had been adjusted to comply with city regulations, the arch went up in July.

The New York Times

Better agreement between the lidar wind speed and expected power was found once the lidar measurements had been adjusted for stability-dependent hill speed-up effects.

Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics

The properties of morphology, size, shell thickness and mechanical properties had been adjusted by the emulsion speed and core/shell ratios.

Construction and Building Materials

Apparently, the rules had been adjusted to give the campers six outs an inning while the Yankees had three.

The New York Times - Sports

A spokeswoman for the commission said the modelling scenarios had been adjusted to reflect announcements by Holden and Toyota that they plan to cease automotive manufacturing in Australia.

The Guardian

"It's not a safety issue," said Mr. Jones, because the spacing of airplanes had been adjusted to the capabilities of remaining equipment.

The New York Times

Chow mein is based on an authentic Chinese dish, even if it had been adjusted for American palates in the early days.

The New York Times - Style

The peacekeeping scale of assessment had not been changed since 1973, though periodically the United Nations' regular operating budget had been adjusted.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been adjusted", ensure the context clearly indicates what was adjusted and the reason for the adjustment. This enhances clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "had been adjusted" excessively in situations where active voice would be more direct and engaging. For example, instead of "The settings had been adjusted by the technician", consider "The technician adjusted the settings".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been adjusted" functions as a passive perfect construction. It indicates that an action of adjusting was completed before a specific point in the past. Ludwig confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been adjusted" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that describes a past modification completed before another point in the past. According to Ludwig, it is applicable across diverse contexts, including science, news, and business. When writing, ensure clarity by specifying what was adjusted and why. While the phrase is generally acceptable, be mindful of potential overuse of passive voice. Consider active voice alternatives for a more direct tone. The expert rating indicates that the use is accurate and the quality of sources is high.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been modified

Replaces "adjusted" with "modified", emphasizing a change in form or content.

had been altered

Uses "altered" instead of "adjusted", suggesting a more significant change.

had been amended

Employs "amended", implying a formal or legal change.

had been revised

Substitutes "adjusted" with "revised", indicating a review and correction process.

had been corrected

Replaces "adjusted" with "corrected", emphasizing the removal of errors.

had been calibrated

Uses "calibrated" instead of "adjusted", specifically for measurements or instruments.

had been fine-tuned

Employs "fine-tuned", suggesting small, precise adjustments.

had been adapted

Substitutes "adjusted" with "adapted", indicating a change to suit new conditions.

had been transformed

Replaces "adjusted" with "transformed", implying a fundamental change in nature or appearance.

had undergone modification

Rephrases using "undergone modification" for a more formal tone.

FAQs

How can I use "had been adjusted" in a sentence?

The phrase "had been adjusted" indicates that something was modified in the past. For example: "The budget "had been adjusted" to reflect the new economic realities".

What can I say instead of "had been adjusted"?

You can use alternatives like "had been modified", "had been altered", or "had been revised" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "had been adjusted" or "was adjusted"?

"Had been adjusted" implies that the adjustment occurred at some point before another past action or time. "Was adjusted" simply indicates a past action. Choose based on the specific timeline you want to convey.

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

"Had been adjusted" refers to a past action completed before another point in the past, while "has been adjusted" indicates an action completed before the present moment. For example, "The data "has been adjusted" to account for recent findings" versus "The data "had been adjusted" before the report was finalized".