had been determined

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been determined" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that a decision or conclusion was reached in the past and has relevance to the present situation. Example: "After extensive research, it had been determined that the new policy would significantly improve employee satisfaction."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

No cause of death had been determined.

The New York Times - Sports

Previously positions had been determined by lot.

The New York Times

My future – or a part of it – had been determined.

The Guardian - Sport

By that time, the Final Four had been determined.

The New York Times - Sports

The Associated Press reported that no cause had been determined.

The New York Times

No motive had been determined, the authorities said.

The New York Times

The lake's extent had been determined by the 1870s.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He had been determined to ski Tuckerman since he moved to Exeter, N.H., in 2002.

The New York Times - Travel

However, he said it had been determined that Mr. Barrera was an illegal alien.

The New York Times

The adsorption equilibrium of each component had been determined and SMBR experiments had been carried out.

Chemical Engineering Science

Previously the number of units for the centroid layer had been determined empirically.

Neural Networks

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been determined" when you want to emphasize that a decision, conclusion, or measurement was completed at a specific point in the past and is relevant to the current context. This is especially useful in scientific reports, news articles, and formal documents where clarity and precision are important.

Common error

Avoid using "had been determined" when the simple past tense ("was determined") is sufficient. Overusing the past perfect can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex. Use "was determined" if the time of determination is clear from the context and there is no need to emphasize its completion before another past event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been determined" functions as a past perfect passive construction, indicating that a subject has undergone a process of determination before a specific point in the past. This emphasizes the completion of the action and its relevance to a subsequent event. Ludwig AI showcases numerous examples in news, science, and encyclopedic contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

35%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been determined" is a grammatically sound and frequently used past perfect passive construction. As Ludwig AI's analysis shows, it's prevalent in news, scientific, and encyclopedic contexts, serving to indicate that a decision, measurement, or conclusion was finalized at a specific time in the past. While alternatives like "was decided" or "was ascertained" exist, "had been determined" is particularly useful for emphasizing the completion of a process before another event. Keep in mind to avoid overuse when the simpler "was determined" suffices, and ensure the tense aligns with the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was decided

Replaces the passive perfect construction with a simple past passive, implying a decision was made.

was ascertained

Substitutes "determined" with "ascertained", emphasizing the discovery of a fact with certainty.

was established

Uses "established" to suggest that something has been proven or confirmed.

was resolved

Implies that a problem or issue has been settled or decided upon.

had been concluded

Replaces "determined" with "concluded", focusing on the act of reaching a final judgment.

was figured out

An informal alternative meaning discovered or understood through reasoning.

had been found out

Uses a phrasal verb to mean discovered, often implying something previously hidden.

was identified

Focuses on the act of recognizing or pinpointing something specific.

had been defined

Highlights the process of setting out the meaning or scope of something.

was settled

Suggests an agreement or decision has been reached, often in a dispute.

FAQs

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

Use "had been determined" to indicate that a decision, conclusion, or measurement was completed at a specific point in the past and has relevance to the current context. For example, "After extensive analysis, it "had been determined" that the project was not viable".

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

You can use alternatives like "was decided", "was ascertained", or "was established" depending on the context.

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

"Had been determined" is used when you want to emphasize that the determination occurred before another event in the past. "Was determined" is used when the timing is less important or the context already makes it clear that the determination happened in the past.

What's the difference between "had been determined" and "had been identified"?

"Had been determined" implies a process of reaching a decision or conclusion, while "had been identified" suggests recognizing or pinpointing something specific. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the decision-making process or the act of recognition.