had been cooked by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been cooked by" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was prepared or made by someone in the past, often in a passive construction. Example: "The delicious meal had been cooked by my grandmother, who always used fresh ingredients."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Many had been cooked by the flames.

The New York Times

Dishes that had been cooked by the group of students contained pork, prompting the woman to abstain from trying them.

Independent

She warned them never to eat food that had been cooked by them in case it was poisoned.

The Guardian

The meal had been cooked by five of the original 15 "graduates" of the restaurant, who a decade ago had swapped lives that had been derailed or drifting for the discipline and opportunity of the kitchen, and the TV series that attended it.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Then came a pizza made with mozzarella and onion cream and topped after baking with conserved tuna and celery that had been "cooked" by shaving it thin and soaking it on ice.

Los Angeles Times

A desire to cook may have even driven the earliest humans to learn how to control fire, especially if they had tasted food that had been cooked by a wildfire, the researchers speculated.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

And only when it has been cooked by him.

The New York Times - Food

He can also tell whether a dish has been cooked by a man or a woman, he adds, though here I am less convinced.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But boredom fails to set in when you are eating food that is so good and fresh, and which has been cooked by someone with wit and imagination.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

There's a widespread perception that the law has been cooked by the entertainment giants, and that they themselves only obey it selectively.

The Guardian - Tech

However, if you go to Babbo or Esca for dinner, you are very unlikely to eat food that has been cooked by Batali; if you walk into 50 Carmine, Jenkins will be overseeing your meal.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been cooked by", ensure that the context clearly indicates a past perfect passive construction, emphasizing that the cooking was completed before another point in time. For instance: "The meal had been cooked by the chef before the guests arrived."

Common error

Avoid using "had been cooked by" when a simple past passive ("was cooked by") is sufficient. The past perfect tense implies a sequence of events in the past, so make sure the timeline justifies its use.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been cooked by" functions as a past perfect passive construction. This grammatical structure indicates that an action (cooking) was completed by a specific agent before another point in time in the past. As shown in Ludwig, this structure is commonly used to provide context and chronological order to past events.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been cooked by" is a grammatically sound past perfect passive construction used to indicate that cooking was completed prior to another event in the past. Ludwig's analysis of various sources reveals its primary use in news and media, with a neutral formality level. While grammatically correct, ensure the past perfect tense is necessary to accurately convey the sequence of events. Consider alternatives like "was prepared by" or "cooked by" for conciseness when appropriate. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct and usable in written English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was prepared by

Focuses more on the act of preparing rather than the specific method of cooking.

was made by

A more general term that encompasses any kind of creation, not just cooking.

cooked by

Omits "had been", creating a shorter, more direct passive construction, may not always fit the temporal context.

prepared by someone

Emphasizes that the action was carried out by an individual or group.

created by

Highlights the inventive or artistic aspect of the preparation.

fashioned by

Implies a more careful and skillful creation process.

produced by

Focuses on the outcome or result of the cooking process.

brought to life by

Suggests that the person who did the cooking put their care into the work.

assembled by

Suggests the cooking process was quick and easy, like just assembling pre-made parts.

whipped up by

This phrase is more informal and casual, often used when referring to quick preparation.

FAQs

How do I use "had been cooked by" in a sentence?

"Had been cooked by" indicates that something was prepared by someone before a specific time in the past. Example: "The food had been cooked by the time we arrived."

What is a more concise alternative to "had been cooked by"?

Depending on the context, you could use "was prepared by" or simply "cooked by". For example: "The dinner "was prepared by" the chef."

Is "had been cooked by" grammatically correct?

Yes, "had been cooked by" is grammatically correct. It is a past perfect passive construction. It is used to show that an action was completed before another action or time in the past.

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

"Was cooked by" indicates a simple past passive action. "Had been cooked by" indicates an action completed before another point in the past. "The soup was cooked by him last night" versus "The soup had been cooked by him before the guests arrived".