had been decided upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been decided upon" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a decision that was made in the past and is now finalized. Example: "After much discussion, it had been decided upon that the meeting would take place next week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Between the time of the shooting accident and the landing another plan had been decided upon.

The New Yorker

Ms. Segarra said that the appointment had been decided upon just yesterday.

The New York Times

It was an irresistible conclusion that the verdict had been decided upon before the trial began and he was the victim of a kangaroo court.

The Guardian - Opinion

Mr. Karzai's office said in a statement on Saturday that the council's members had been decided upon and that their names would be announced after the Id al-Fitr holiday, which begins Thursday.

The New York Times

In September, 2006, long before the surge had been decided upon, Sunni tribal sheikhs had approached U.S. Marine commanders and offered to switch sides to align themselves with the United States against Iraq's Al Qaeda-affiliated Islamilitantstants.

The New Yorker

There were going to be cuts, the department needed to refocus on what was important to the business to ensure survival in these unprecedented times, difficult decisions had been made and a new structure had been decided upon... Then the screen flashed up the new organisation chart.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Guardian Australia has been told that no administrator has been decided upon yet.

The Guardian

One thing has been decided upon: The joint venture will be called IMGX.

The New York Times

More trips will follow, but neither the dates nor the destinations have been decided upon.

Independent

The honour would have been decided upon before the Forest Gate raid.

The Guardian

Once a definition of cloud has been decided upon, the real arguments for and against cloud computing can be addressed.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been decided upon" when you want to emphasize that a decision was made at some point in the past and its effects are still relevant. Ensure the context clearly establishes the timeframe.

Common error

Avoid using "had been decided upon" when the simple past tense ("was decided") is sufficient. Overusing the past perfect can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex. "The plan was decided" is often clearer than "The plan had been decided upon".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been decided upon" functions as a passive construction in the past perfect tense. It indicates that a decision was made at some point in the past before another past action or time. This is supported by Ludwig which confirms the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Academia

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been decided upon" is a grammatically sound and frequently used past perfect passive construction. According to Ludwig, it is suitable for contexts where you need to convey that a decision occurred prior to another past event. While adaptable across different registers, it most commonly appears in news, scientific, and formal business contexts. When seeking alternatives, consider options like "had been determined", "had been agreed upon", or "had been settled on" for nuanced variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been determined

Replaces "decided upon" with "determined", implying a more conclusive and resolute decision.

had been agreed upon

Focuses on the agreement aspect of the decision, implying a consensus among multiple parties.

had been settled on

Suggests the decision has been finalized and is no longer open for discussion.

had been chosen

Highlights the selection aspect of the decision, emphasizing the act of picking one option from many.

had been resolved

Implies that the decision has put an end to a debate or uncertainty.

had been established

Emphasizes the setting up or firm establishment of a decision or plan.

had been designated

Highlights the act of officially assigning or naming something, often used in more formal contexts.

had been concluded

Indicates the finishing or wrapping up of a decision process, emphasizing the end result.

a decision had been reached

Rearranges the sentence structure to emphasize that a decision occurred, rather than the action done to the decision.

a conclusion had been made

Substitutes the verb and slightly alters the focus, emphasizing the final conclusion.

FAQs

How can I use "had been decided upon" in a sentence?

Use "had been decided upon" to indicate that a decision was made at some point in the past, prior to another event. For example: "By the time we arrived, the location "had been decided upon"".

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

"Was decided" indicates a decision made in the past. "Had been decided upon" indicates a decision made earlier in the past, before another past event. The latter emphasizes the sequence of events.

What can I say instead of "had been decided upon"?

You can use alternatives like "had been determined", "had been agreed upon", or "had been settled on" depending on the context.

Is "had been decided on" grammatically correct?

Yes, "had been decided on" is grammatically correct and virtually interchangeable with "had been decided upon". The choice often comes down to stylistic preference.