had been asserted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been asserted" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was claimed or stated in the past, often in a context where the assertion is being discussed or analyzed. Example: "In the previous report, it had been asserted that the new policy would lead to increased efficiency."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

It had been asserted by his colleague [Col.

Yale University

Strenuous objections had been asserted regarding the adequacy of representation, a Rule 23(a)(4) requirement.

Harvard University

Bopp demonstrated in 1839 that the Celtic languages were Indo-European, as had been asserted by Jones.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This had been asserted in the first instance by Hesiod and his followers, but afterwards outside his circle by the earliest natural philosophers.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Embarrassingly, the distinguished academics had to concede later on that there had been an error in their spreadsheet calculations, and that the theory was not quite as robust as had been asserted.

The Guardian - Opinion

While the prince was triumphant that his regal copyright over his diaries had been asserted, the Mail on Sunday maintains that the contents of such diaries should be revealed to the world.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Mr. McGivern's supporters, including William F. Buckley Jr., for years had been asserting his innocence and waging a campaign for his release.

The New York Times

The spokesman, Alvi Karimov, had been asserting that the authorities could not be arresting gay men because gay men did not exist in Chechnya.

The New York Times

Issa called the move an "untimely" assertion of the privilege, which has been asserted just 25 times since 1980.

The Guardian

This much has been asserted.

The New York Times

"It has been asserted that he is conservative," he said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been asserted", ensure the context clearly indicates who made the assertion and when it was made, if known.

Common error

Avoid using "had been asserted" when a simple past tense construction like "was asserted" is more appropriate, especially if the timing of the assertion is not crucial.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been asserted" functions as a past perfect passive construction, indicating that a statement or claim was made at some point in the past before another past action or time. Ludwig confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Academia

40%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been asserted" is a grammatically sound and relatively formal way to indicate that a claim or statement was made in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's frequently encountered in academic, news, and encyclopedia contexts. While not as common as simpler past tense forms, it's particularly useful when you need to emphasize that the assertion occurred before another point in the past, creating a clear sequence of events. Alternatives such as "had been claimed" or "had been stated" may be suitable depending on the context and desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been claimed

Replaces "asserted" with "claimed", implying a less formal declaration.

had been stated

Substitutes "asserted" with "stated", suggesting a more neutral and direct expression.

had been alleged

Replaces "asserted" with "alleged", indicating an unproven claim.

had been maintained

Uses "maintained" instead of "asserted", suggesting a continued or persistent claim.

had been contended

Replaces "asserted" with "contended", implying a point argued in a debate.

had been posited

Substitutes "asserted" with "posited", suggesting a formal proposition or theory.

had been professed

Uses "professed" instead of "asserted", implying a declaration of belief.

had been declared

Replaces "asserted" with "declared", suggesting a formal or official announcement.

had been averred

Substitutes "asserted" with "averred", implying a confident and emphatic declaration.

had been avowed

Uses "avowed" instead of "asserted", suggesting an open and acknowledged declaration.

FAQs

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

The phrase "had been asserted" indicates that a statement or claim was made at some point in the past. For example, "It "had been asserted" that the company was profitable, but the audit revealed otherwise."

What are some alternatives to "had been asserted"?

You can use alternatives like "had been claimed", "had been stated", or "had been alleged" depending on the context.

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

While both are grammatically correct, "has been asserted" implies the assertion is still relevant or has a recent connection to the present, whereas ""had been asserted"" refers to an assertion made and completed in the past.

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

"Had been asserted" suggests the assertion occurred before another point in the past, establishing a sequence of events. "Was asserted" simply states that the assertion occurred in the past, without necessarily linking it to another past event.