had been contracted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been contracted" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in contexts where a contract or agreement was established in the past and may still be relevant or have implications for the present or future. Example: "The services had been contracted before the project was officially announced."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

God help the real things if this character had been contracted to eliminate them at Wimbledon.

Independent

George Grayson, the president of the foundation, said the evaluations would continue, though no veterinarian had been contracted.

The New York Times - Sports

Pivano was jailed when the Nazis discovered that she had been contracted to translate "A Farewell to Arms".

The New Yorker

Mr. Sales originally told prosecutors that he had been contracted by Mr. Moura, but later changed his story.

The New York Times

The EIA's original survey for the US Department of Energy published in 2011 had been contracted out to Intek Inc.

The Guardian

But the reason he had been contracted to lecture had little to do with anything he had written.

The New York Times

The plane had been contracted by the United States Air Force to fly supplies to military units around the country.

The New York Times

He had been contracted to sing two performances of "Tosca"; he arrived in New York, sang the dress rehearsal, and came down with what was described as "influenza".

The New Yorker

But they then discovered they had been contracted by the Aix festival, which runs for three weeks, to appear for €3,640 £3,0000) each and complained.

The Guardian

Fusion, in turn, had been contracted by a law firm, Perkins Coie, which represented both Hillary Clinton's Presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

The New Yorker

Bonnie Chajet, a senior vice president at Warburg Realty, who had been contracted to sell the unit, said it was being offered for $6.9 million.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been contracted" to emphasize that a formal agreement was in place at a specific point in the past, especially when discussing the consequences or implications of that agreement.

Common error

Avoid using "had been contracted" when the active voice would be clearer and more direct. For example, instead of "The project had been contracted to a third party", consider "We contracted the project to a third party" if you want to emphasize who made the decision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been contracted" functions as a past perfect passive construction. It indicates that an agreement or task was assigned via a contract before a specific point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a valid and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Wiki

13%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been contracted" is a grammatically sound and widely used past perfect passive construction, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. It's primarily employed to denote that a formal agreement was established before a particular time in the past. Its usage spans across various contexts, with a strong presence in News & Media, making it a versatile choice for both formal and informal communication. When using this phrase, ensure clarity regarding the contract's initiator and terms. While it's generally acceptable, consider opting for the active voice when greater directness is desired. For semantically related alternatives, consider "was under contract", "had been hired", or "had been commissioned".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was under contract

Focuses more on the ongoing state of being bound by a contract.

had been hired

Emphasizes the act of employing someone for a specific task.

had been engaged

Suggests a formal agreement to perform a service or duty.

had been commissioned

Implies an official request or order for something to be made or done.

had been appointed

Highlights the act of assigning someone to a role or position.

was obligated

Focuses on the sense of duty or requirement arising from an agreement.

was bound by agreement

Stresses the legally binding nature of the commitment.

had an agreement

Simplifies the expression to a general understanding or arrangement.

had made arrangements

Highlights the preparations and steps taken to finalize an agreement.

had secured a deal

Emphasizes the successful negotiation and attainment of a contract.

FAQs

How to use "had been contracted" in a sentence?

Use "had been contracted" to indicate that an agreement or arrangement was made in the past. For example, "The building work "had been contracted" to a local firm last year."

What can I say instead of "had been contracted"?

You can use alternatives like "had been hired", "had been engaged", or "was under contract" depending on the specific context.

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

"Had been contracted" implies that the contracting occurred at some point in the past relative to another past event. "Was contracted" indicates a simple past passive action. The choice depends on the specific timeline you want to convey. For example: "The work "was contracted" last week" versus "The work "had been contracted" before the budget cuts were announced".

What's the difference between "had been contracted" and "had contracted"?

"Had been contracted" is in the passive voice, indicating that someone or something received a contract. "Had contracted" is in the active voice, indicating that someone or something gave a contract. For example: "The firm "had been contracted" to do the work" versus "The firm "had contracted" a local company to supply materials".