had been communication

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been communication" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an incorrect construction and does not convey a clear meaning. Example: "There had been communication between the two parties regarding the agreement."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Mr. Nafziger becomes a copywriter; he had been communication director at Traffic Geyser.

The New York Times

An Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that while he could not officially confirm what the Thai deputy prime minister said about cooperation between the two countries' security services, it was clear from the warning that there had been communication and coordination.

The New York Times

A series of meetings were subsequently held, with both parties acknowledging there had been "communication issues".

BBC

When a reporter asked Nunes if he had seen any evidence to suggest that there had been communication between Trump associates and Russian officials in addition to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak (whose conversations with the president's campaign team have already been reported), Nunes said, "Not that I'm aware of".

Huffington Post

In more than half of these consultations GPs displayed prior knowledge suggesting that there had been communication before about this problem.

BMC Family Practice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

For Assistant Chief Patrick Timlin, the police commander in the Bronx, the biggest factor has been communication.

The New York Times

Our biggest issues have been communication and cultural differences.

TechCrunch

"There has been communication between us for quite some time in the run up to this announcement," says Mr Bazalgette.

BBC

"There should have been communication through the season and they should have made a decision [about Kean] after relegation," added Garner.

BBC

Even before the great leap toward visual communication via cave wall paintings, there must have been communication among humans.

Huffington Post

Also there could have been communication among participants.

BMC Geriatrics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "had been communication" in formal writing. Instead, opt for clearer and grammatically correct alternatives such as "there had been communication" or "communication occurred".

Common error

Don't use "had been" directly before a noun like "communication". This construction typically requires a linking verb or a more descriptive phrase. For example, instead of "had been communication", say "there had been communication" or "communication had occurred".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been communication" functions as part of a clause aiming to describe past interactions. However, as pointed out by Ludwig AI, it is not grammatically correct in standard English without a linking verb or rephrasing. The intended function is to indicate that some form of communication took place in the past.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

37%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "had been communication" aims to convey that communication occurred in the past, it's not considered grammatically correct in standard English. Ludwig AI indicates that the construction is flawed and needs rephrasing. It's more appropriate to use alternatives like "there had been communication" or "communication had occurred". The phrase appears infrequently and is mostly found in news, scientific, and formal business contexts. When writing, it's best to use more precise and grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there was prior communication

Focuses on the existence of communication before a specific event or time.

communication occurred

A simple and direct statement that communication took place.

contact was established

Emphasizes the initiation of communication.

lines of communication were open

Highlights the accessibility and readiness for communication.

dialogue had taken place

Indicates a conversation or exchange of ideas.

there was an exchange

Highlights the reciprocal nature of communication.

correspondence had been exchanged

Specifically refers to written communication.

intercourse had been initiated

Highlights the beginning of any discussion.

rapport had been initiated

Highlights the beginning of positive interaction.

there had been interactions

Highlights the many interactions that have occurred.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "had been" with "communication"?

The phrase "had been" needs a linking verb to connect it to "communication". You can say "there "there had been communication"" or "communication "communication had occurred"".

What's a more formal way to say "there had been communication"?

More formal alternatives include "prior communication existed" or "communication "communication was established"".

Is "had been communication" grammatically correct?

No, "had been communication" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use phrases like "there "there had been communication"" or "communication "communication occurred"".

What are some alternative phrases to "had been communication" that emphasize the lack of interaction?

To emphasize the absence of communication, you could say "there "there had been no communication"" or "communication had not been established".