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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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had been corrected

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been corrected" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something was corrected in the past before another action took place. Example: "The report had been corrected before it was submitted to the board."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But today that path "had been corrected".

By Friday, his name had been corrected.

News & Media

The New York Times

Here, though, many thought the bad habits had been corrected.

News & Media

The New York Times

When she left the putting green, she was satisfied that her putting problems had been corrected.

George's report back simply accepted the "cult" explanation, and that past mistakes had been corrected.

News & Media

The Guardian

The inspector general's report found no evidence that such shortcomings had been corrected.

News & Media

The New York Times

Mr. Reichenbach said the mistake had been corrected and the bar now has the 2004 game.

He said that some violations were found in the inspection, but that they had been corrected.

News & Media

The New York Times

But Mr. Sillery wrote in his affidavit that the two men's fingerprint records had been corrected.

News & Media

The New York Times

He said he had told the party and assumed the problem had been corrected.

News & Media

The New York Times

The department said on Saturday that all unsafe conditions had been corrected.

News & Media

The New York Times
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been corrected", ensure the context clearly indicates what was incorrect and how it was corrected. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "had been corrected" when a simple past tense ("was corrected") is sufficient. The past perfect tense implies that the correction occurred before another past action, so ensure this sequence is clear.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

93%

Authority and reliability

4.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been corrected" functions as a past perfect passive construction. It indicates that an action of correction was completed before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been corrected" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It functions as a past perfect passive construction, indicating that something was rectified before another point in the past. Predominantly found in news and media sources, its register is neutral, making it suitable for various writing styles. When using the phrase, ensure clarity by specifying what was incorrect and how it was corrected. Remember that the alternatives such as "was rectified", "was amended", or "was revised" may suit your context better.

FAQs

How do I use "had been corrected" in a sentence?

"Had been corrected" indicates that an error was fixed before a specific point in the past. For example, "The report "had been corrected" before it was submitted to the board".

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

Alternatives include "was rectified", "was amended", or "was revised", depending on the context.

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

"Was corrected" describes a simple past action, while "had been corrected" indicates that the correction happened before another event in the past. The latter emphasizes the sequence of events.

Is it ever incorrect to use "had been corrected"?

Yes, if the context doesn't involve a sequence of two past events, using "was corrected" is more appropriate. Overusing the past perfect can make your writing sound awkward.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

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Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: