had been consultation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been consultation" is not correct in English.
It seems to be an incomplete or incorrect construction and does not convey a clear meaning. Example: "There had been consultation regarding the new policy changes before the final decision was made."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"So in a sense, what Mr McClure has done, and there had been consultation with about 30 of the major groups, is brought together the major issues and now put them out in a discussion paper," he said.

The Guardian

But the announcement by the board of deputies on Friday said there had been "consultation with all parties involved" and now the bar mitzvah would "be returned to the privacy and dignity it deserves".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

In a letter dated 2 April 2008, the then-inspector general of intelligence and security, Ian Carnell, noted there had been consultations and that Collaery would keep a watching brief on an internal inquiry into Witness K's employment concerns.

The Guardian - Opinion

But Austria in particular has said that there should have been consultation because of the possibility of a severe accident that could lead to radioactive materials being spread by wind across Europe.

The Guardian

"One of the panel's central objectives has been consultation with the bereaved families," it said.

BBC

"London Underground have asked for frequent talks with the unions and they've managed to turn up for some meetings, so there has been consultation," said a TfL spokesman.

BBC

Yes, there have been consultations, meetings, engagement – the trouble is, opponents say, frequently hamfisted enough to make things worse.

The Guardian

Others said there had been inadequate consultation with the faculty.

The New York Times

Hanson said it was "completely incorrect" that there had been no consultation on policy.

The Guardian

Van Iersel said there had been no consultation or discussion with any of them before the decision.

The Guardian

Coulthard said there had been minimal consultation with traditional owners and described the decision as "cultural genocide".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating that a consultation occurred in the past, use grammatically correct phrases such as "there was a consultation" or "consultation took place."

Common error

Avoid using the phrase structure "had been consultation" as it is grammatically incorrect. Instead, use a proper verb construction to express the idea of a consultation taking place.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been consultation" functions as an incomplete noun phrase. It attempts to describe a state of having a consultation but lacks a proper verb construction. As Ludwig AI points out, the structure is grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been consultation" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in both formal and informal writing. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is an incomplete construction and does not convey a clear meaning. Although there are a few examples of the phrase in use, these are not indicative of correct usage. Instead, use alternatives such as "there was a consultation", "a consultation occurred", or "consultation was conducted" to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy. Using such alternatives improves the credibility and understandability of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there was consultation

Replaces the past perfect construction with a simpler past tense, focusing on the existence of consultation.

consultation occurred

Uses a verb to directly state that a consultation happened, rather than describing its state.

consultation was conducted

Emphasizes the action of carrying out a consultation.

consultation took place

Similar to 'consultation occurred' but with a slightly more formal tone.

a consultation was held

Highlights the event of holding a consultation.

meetings were held

Focuses on meeting or talking with another person.

discussions were conducted

Emphasizes formal discussions.

input was gathered

Focuses on obtaining contributions for an activity or product.

dialogue took place

Emphasizes active discussion between parties.

advice was provided

Highlights counsel giving by an expert.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "had been consultation" in a sentence?

The phrase "had been consultation" is grammatically incorrect. Correct alternatives include "there "was a consultation"" or "a consultation "had taken place"".

What's a better way to say "had been consultation"?

Instead of "had been consultation", use phrases like "there "was consultation"", "a "consultation occurred"", or "consultation was conducted" to ensure grammatical correctness.

Is "had been consultation" grammatically correct?

No, "had been consultation" is not grammatically correct. It's missing a linking verb and article. A correct formulation would be "there "had been a consultation"".

Can "had been consultation" be used in formal writing?

No, "had been consultation" should not be used in formal writing due to its grammatical incorrectness. Opt for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives like "a "consultation was held"" or "consultation took place".