had been desire

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been desire" is not correct in English.
It seems to be an incorrect construction and does not convey a clear meaning. An example of a correct usage could be: "She had been desiring a change in her life for a long time."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

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Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Shiban had been desiring to write a story like "Release" for a while.

Wikipedia

The enforced rest may not have been desired – "It's been frustrating more than anything.

The Guardian - Sport

The problem is that we've been desiring the wrong things so we will the wrong things.

The New York Times

That is why Apple is releasing two new iPhones this month instead of just one, including a cheaper model aimed at less wealthy countries where new Apple phones have been desired but are out of reach because of their price.

The New York Times

Reconstructed liver has been desired as a liver substitute for transplantation.

Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering

An accelerator based BNCT has been desired because of its therapeutic convenience.

Applied Radiation and Isotopes

Non-destructive measurement of soil water content and electrical conductivity has been desired for many years.

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture

Alternatively, bottom-up synthetic approaches based on chemistry have been desired to achieve C-dots with fluorescence.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Structural optimization in order to reduce costs associated with design and implementation always has been desired by engineers.

APCBEE Procedia

Therefore, to simultaneously measure these physical parameters along vertical depths in the field, it has been desired for many years.

Sensors and Actuators A: Physical

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing past desires, use the correct verb form. For example, instead of saying "had been desire", say "had desired", "had longed for", or "had wished for".

Common error

Avoid using "had been" directly followed by a noun like "desire". This construction is grammatically incorrect. Use the past participle form of the verb instead, such as "had been desired".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been desire" is grammatically incorrect. It attempts to use "desire" as a noun after the auxiliary verbs "had been", but this is not a valid construction. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been desire" is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase does not adhere to standard English grammar rules. The intended meaning, which is to express a past state of wanting something, is lost due to the incorrect construction. Therefore, it's recommended to use correct alternatives such as ""had desired"", ""had longed for"", or "had been desired" to clearly convey the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had desired

Direct replacement that uses the verb "desire" in the correct tense and form.

had longed for

Replaces "desire" with "longed for", emphasizing a strong feeling of wanting something.

had wished for

Substitutes "desire" with "wished for", indicating a hope or dream.

had craved

Replaces "desire" with "craved", suggesting a powerful and urgent need.

had yearned for

Uses "yearned for" instead of "desire", conveying a deep and melancholic longing.

had been wanting

Expresses a continuous state of wanting something in the past.

had been hoping for

Indicates a state of hoping for something, rather than a strong desire.

had aspired to

Replaces "desire" with "aspired to", indicating ambition and a goal.

had set sights on

Expresses the act of focusing on a specific goal or desire.

had dreamt of

Uses "dreamt of" instead of "desire", implying a more fantastical or imaginative longing.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "desire" in the past perfect tense?

The correct way is to use "had desired" or "had been desired" depending on the intended meaning. The phrase "had been desire" is grammatically incorrect.

What can I say instead of the incorrect phrase "had been desire"?

You can use alternatives like "had desired", "had longed for", or "had wished for" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "had desired" and "had been desired"?

"Had desired" implies the act of wanting something, while "had been desired" implies that something was wanted by someone. For example, "She had desired a new car" versus "A new car had been desired by her".

How to avoid grammatical errors when expressing past desires?

Pay attention to verb forms. Use the past perfect tense correctly by using "had" followed by the past participle of the verb, such as "had hoped" or "had dreamed". Avoid constructions where "had been" is followed directly by a noun.