had been diagnosed

USAGE SUMMARY

'had been diagnosed' is correct and usable in written English.
It is a past perfect verb phrase. For example, "The doctor said that he had been diagnosed with diabetes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Bjelland had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder.

The Guardian - Music

Finally he had been diagnosed with TB.

The Guardian - Books

Luis had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

The Guardian

She had been diagnosed in January.

The New Yorker

Tuberculosis had been diagnosed in only 23.

The New York Times

I had been diagnosed with cardiac endothelium dysfunction.

Stanford University

She had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer in March.

The Washington Post

She had been diagnosed with the disease three years earlier.

The Guardian

He had been diagnosed with lung cancer four weeks prior.

The New York Times

She was struggling and had been diagnosed with postnatal depression.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

By then Howard had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been diagnosed" to clearly indicate that the diagnosis occurred before a specific point in time or another event described in the past.

Common error

Avoid using simple past tense ("was diagnosed") when the timing of the diagnosis relative to another past event is important. "Had been diagnosed" establishes a clearer sequence of events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been diagnosed" functions as the past perfect passive voice of the verb "diagnose". It indicates that a diagnosis was made before a specific time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

42%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been diagnosed" is a grammatically correct and commonly used past perfect passive construction. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, and its purpose is to indicate that a diagnosis occurred before a specific point in the past. It is valuable to remember that this phrase is often employed in both formal (scientific or medical) and neutral (news) contexts. While alternative phrases such as "was diagnosed with" exist, they may not always convey the same precise meaning, especially when establishing a sequence of past events. Therefore, understanding the correct usage of "had been diagnosed" enhances clarity and accuracy in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was diagnosed with

Replaces the past perfect construction with a simple past tense, focusing on the moment of diagnosis.

has been diagnosed with

Changes the tense to present perfect, indicating an ongoing state since the diagnosis.

received a diagnosis of

Emphasizes the act of receiving a diagnosis rather than the state of being diagnosed.

previously diagnosed with

Adds emphasis on the fact that the diagnosis happened in the past.

was found to have

Highlights the discovery of a condition, shifting focus from the diagnostic process.

was determined to have

Highlights the determination or conclusion that led to the diagnosis.

tested positive for

Specifically used when the diagnosis is confirmed through a positive test result.

a diagnosis revealed

Inverts the sentence to highlight the diagnosis as the subject.

presented with

Focuses on the initial symptoms or conditions that led to the diagnosis.

doctors confirmed

Shifts focus to the medical professionals who made the diagnosis.

FAQs

How is "had been diagnosed" used in a sentence?

"Had been diagnosed" indicates that someone received a diagnosis before a certain point in the past. For example: "By the time she turned 50, she "had been diagnosed" with arthritis."

What are alternatives to "had been diagnosed"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "was diagnosed with", "received a diagnosis of", or "was found to have".

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

Both are correct, but they indicate different timeframes. "Was diagnosed" refers to a single event in the past, while "had been diagnosed" indicates that the diagnosis occurred before another point in the past. If you need to establish a sequence of past events, use "had been diagnosed".

What's the difference between "had been diagnosed" and "has been diagnosed"?

"Had been diagnosed" is past perfect, referring to a diagnosis completed before a specific point in the past. "Has been diagnosed" is present perfect, indicating a diagnosis made at some point in the past with relevance to the present.