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Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
had been categorised
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "had been categorised" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was classified or organized into categories at some point in the past, often in relation to a specific context or timeframe. Example: "The data had been categorised according to various demographic factors before the analysis began."
✓ Grammatically correct
Science
News & Media
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
26 human-written examples
This resulted in 49 similar molecule-pairs and 51 non-similar molecules-pairs; then, once each of the molecule-pairs had been categorised in this way, the expert judgments were used to assess the categorisation ability of similarity measures based on 2D fingerprints.
Science
Stewart was left unclear how the crime had been categorised.
News & Media
Two weeks ago the Guardian revealed that the ISI had been categorised with al-Qaida, Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah and other militant Islamic groups in a 2007 "threat matrix" compiled to help interrogators at Guantánamo Bay.
News & Media
It was at this point an officer warned me that those men, despite already being in the HSU, had been categorised as "exceptional risk" prisoners and were not allowed to mix with anyone except each other.
News & Media
"They put us 'unwanted' students into so-called 'shock teams' of 10 cadets each," he recalled, adding that he had been categorised as Kemalist – a supporter of the secular ideology of modern Turkey's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk – because of a book he had borrowed from the school library while in high school.
News & Media
The director was outwardly an establishment figure, knighted while the play was in pre-production; the playwright had been categorised by theatre critics as a Marxist (although he disliked such easy and pejorative labels) and a previous piece - The Churchill Play, which questioned the status of a national hero - had become a brief media scandal.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
34 human-written examples
Bidjara has been categorised extinct by the global languages catalogue Ethnologue.
News & Media
"This represents a move beyond those artists who have been categorised at the Young British Artists.
News & Media
It's on that basis that the 117 grand finals have been categorised.
News & Media
These strategies have been categorised into four stages namely early design, conceptualisation, and documentation and operational.
Science
In this review, demand reduction interventions have been categorised as efficiency, saving and conservation measures.
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Use "had been categorised" when you want to emphasize that the categorization occurred at a specific point in the past and has relevance to the present situation being described.
Common error
Avoid using "had been categorised" when the context only requires a simple past tense. For example, instead of "The files had been categorised yesterday", it's clearer to say "The files were categorised yesterday" if the past categorization's relevance to the present is not the focus.
Source & Trust
82%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "had been categorised" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect passive voice. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in describing actions completed before a specific time in the past, showing a prior state or classification. The Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.
Frequent in
Science
40%
News & Media
40%
Formal & Business
20%
Less common in
Wiki
0%
Encyclopedias
0%
Reference
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, the phrase "had been categorised" is a grammatically sound and commonly used construction in English to indicate that something was classified before a specific point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English. It commonly appears in scientific and news contexts, denoting a prior state relevant to a current discussion. When writing, use "had been categorised" to emphasize that the categorization occurred before another past event. Alternative phrases such as "was classified" or "was grouped" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
was classified
Focuses on the classification action using a simpler past tense.
had been assigned
Indicates prior assignment to a role or category.
was grouped
Emphasizes the act of forming groups or clusters.
had been placed
Focuses on the act of putting something into a category.
was labeled
Highlights the assignment of a specific label or identifier.
had been identified
Emphasizes the recognition and categorization of something.
had been sorted
Highlights the organization of items into specific categories.
was designated
Suggests a formal or official assignment.
had been tagged
Emphasizes the act of attaching a tag or label for identification.
was characterized
Focuses on describing or classifying something based on its characteristics.
FAQs
How to use "had been categorised" in a sentence?
Use "had been categorised" to indicate that something was classified into a specific category before a certain point in the past. For instance, "The patients "had been categorised" by risk level before the study began."
What can I say instead of "had been categorised"?
You can use alternatives like "was classified", "was grouped", or "was labeled" depending on the context.
Which is correct, "had been categorised" or "was categorised"?
"Had been categorised" indicates a past perfect passive construction, useful when the categorisation happened before another point in the past. "Was categorised" is simple past passive. Use "had been categorised" when the timing of the categorization is relevant to understanding a subsequent event.
What's the difference between "had been categorised" and "has been categorised"?
"Had been categorised" refers to a categorization completed in the past, before another point in the past. "Has been categorised" refers to a categorization completed in the past with relevance to the present. For example, "The data "has been categorised" and is now ready for analysis" indicates the data is currently categorized.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
82%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested