had been altered

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been altered" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you or someone else has already changed something in the past. Example: The document had been altered since the last time I saw it.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

"It had been altered.

The New York Times

Goldin suggested the comptroller's books had been altered.

The New Yorker

When Mr. Biesenbach returned, his home had been altered.

The New York Times

"But the engineers said the river had been altered so much it wouldn't work".

The New York Times

His face had been altered by the burns, his skin lightened.

The New York Times - Magazine

Dr. Mihalcescu used cyanobacteria that had been altered to glow when certain genes expressed enzymatic compounds.

The New York Times - Science

By the time they acquired the building, it had been altered beyond recognition.

The New York Times

It fit, though not meaningfully better than an off-the-peg one that had been altered.

The New Yorker

But small bedrooms upstairs had been altered, as had a service wing the Morans added later.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

(It has been altered significantly since then).

The New York Times

The basic design has been altered.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been altered" to emphasize that the action of altering happened before another point in the past. This is especially useful in narratives and historical accounts.

Common error

Avoid using "had been altered" when a simple past tense like "was altered" is sufficient. The past perfect is necessary only when indicating an action completed before another past action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been altered" functions as the past perfect passive voice of the verb "alter". It describes an action of changing something that was completed before another point in time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

33%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been altered" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that effectively conveys a past action of modification completed before another point in time. As Ludwig confirms, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, especially in news and media, and scientific writing. When employing "had been altered", clarity is key – ensure the subject and agent of alteration are evident, and that the past perfect tense is justified by the timeline of events. Also remember that alternative phrases as "was modified" or "had been modified" can also be considered based on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been modified

Maintains the past perfect passive tense.

was changed

Replaces "altered" with a more common synonym.

had been adjusted

Past perfect passive form of "adjusted".

was modified

Uses a simpler verb tense and active voice.

was adjusted

Suggests a slight or fine-tuned change.

had undergone changes

Emphasizes the process of change rather than the end result.

had been revised

Suggests a change made to improve or correct something.

had been transformed

Implies a more significant or dramatic change.

had been updated

Indicates that something has been made more current.

had experienced alteration

Nominalizes "altered", making it a noun.

FAQs

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

"Had been altered" indicates that something was changed before a specific point in the past. For instance, "The original document "had been altered" before it was submitted as evidence".

What are some alternatives to "had been altered"?

Alternatives include "was modified", "was changed", or "had been modified" depending on the context and the nuance you want to convey.

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

Both are correct, but they convey different meanings. "Was altered" indicates a simple past action, while "had been altered" indicates an action completed before another point in the past. The choice depends on the timeline of events you're describing.

What's the difference between "had been altered" and "had been changed"?

While similar, "altered" often implies a more specific or intentional modification, while "changed" is a broader term. The best choice depends on the specific context. You could also consider "had undergone changes" for emphasis.