had been alerted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been alerted" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone was informed or made aware of something in the past, often in a context where the alerting occurred before another past event. Example: "The authorities had been alerted to the potential threat before the incident occurred."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The emergency services had been alerted.

The New Yorker

I had been alerted to their questionable line calls.

The New York Times - Sports

The technicians at Kwajalein had been alerted to the test.

The New York Times

Security staff had been alerted by "wirings" inside the bag.

The Guardian - Business

The Canadian hate crimes unit had been alerted.

The Guardian - Books

They said they had been alerted anonymously to the address.

The Guardian

He said that the authorities had been alerted and that a judicial decision was expected.

The New York Times

He had been alerted to at least one of Mr. Sandusky's attacks on a boy.

The New York Times - Sports

He had been alerted to the blaze by the sound of distant smoke alarms.

The Guardian

MacKay was told that Cameron, who had been alerted at 8pm, was alarmed by his expenses.

The Guardian

The Quinlan family had been alerted five days before that death was imminent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been alerted" to clearly indicate that a notification or warning occurred before a subsequent event. For instance, "The security team had been alerted to the suspicious activity before the alarm was triggered."

Common error

Avoid using "had been alerted" when the alerting action is still ongoing or immediately relevant to the present. Instead, use "have been alerted" or "are being alerted" for present relevance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been alerted" functions as a passive perfect construction, indicating that someone or something received a warning or notification prior to a specific point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Wiki

2%

Academia

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been alerted" is a grammatically sound and common phrase used to express that someone or something received a warning or notification before a specific event in the past. As Ludwig AI points out, this passive perfect construction is predominantly found in news and media contexts. To ensure correct usage, remember to use it when indicating an action completed before another past event. Alternatives like "were notified" or "were warned" can be considered depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were informed

Highlights the imparting of knowledge.

were notified

Focuses more on the formal act of notification.

had received advance notice

Focuses on the advance nature of the notification.

had been forewarned

Emphasizes that the warning was given in advance.

were warned

Emphasizes the cautionary aspect of the information received.

had been warned beforehand

Adds emphasis on the timing of the warning, specifying it was received in advance.

received a warning

Shifts the focus to the reception of the warning itself.

had knowledge of

Highlights having prior knowledge about something

were tipped off

Suggests a more informal or secretive method of receiving information.

were apprised

Implies a formal and detailed informing of someone.

FAQs

How to use "had been alerted" in a sentence?

Use "had been alerted" to indicate that someone received a warning or notification before a specific event in the past. For example, "The police "had been alerted" to the potential threat before the incident occurred."

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

You can use alternatives like "were notified", "were warned", or "were informed" depending on the context.

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

"Had been alerted" indicates a completed action before another point in the past. "Was alerted" simply indicates that someone received an alert at some point in the past. The choice depends on whether you need to emphasize the sequence of past events.

What's the difference between "had been alerted" and "have been alerted"?

"Had been alerted" refers to a past action completed before another past event, while "have been alerted" refers to an action completed at some point before the present. For example, "They "had been alerted" before the incident" versus "They "have been alerted" to the current situation".