had been election

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been election" is not correct in English and does not convey a clear meaning.
It seems to be an incorrect combination of verb tenses and nouns, and it cannot be used in written English as it stands. Example: "The event had been an election, but the results were still being counted."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

He was not "a self-interested or attention-seeking career politician", and had been "catapulted into parliament in very unusual circumstances" following the death of Cook, to whom he had been election agent for 22 years.

The Guardian

Mr. Hasanli's campaign, however, alleged that there had been election violations throughout the country, and observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said they had also documented widespread irregularities, including ballot-box stuffing and what appeared to be fraudulent counting.

The New York Times

First elected as MP for Glasgow Anniesland in a by-election in 2000 following the death of former First Minister Donald Dewar, who he had been election agent for.

BBC

In an appearance on Fox News that aired later, Trump suggested there had been election fraud in 2012, and that it would likely happen again.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

And Oct. 23, 2012, would have been Election Day, rather than a national day of mourning.

The New York Times

Fund-raising has been around since there have been elections, and so have extreme candidates.

The New York Times

Since 2005 there have been elections for the presidency, too, replacing the previous embarrassingly unanimous referendums.

The Economist

As long as there have been elections, there have been attempts to keep eligible people from voting.

The New York Times

Many Mitanins have stood for elections and have been elected to the village councils.

Health Policy and Planning

Its initial focus was fighting discriminatory gerrymandering that had been securing elections for Protestant unionists.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Lately the talk had been about the election.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "had been election". It is grammatically incorrect. Use more appropriate phrases such as "the election had taken place" or "there had been an election".

Common error

Do not combine "had been" directly with the noun "election". This creates an ungrammatical construction. Always use a verb or article to create a proper sentence structure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been election" is an incorrect combination. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is grammatically incorrect, requiring a more complete structure to function properly within a sentence. It needs an article or verb to make sense.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Wiki

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been election" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase requires additional words to form a coherent and grammatically sound sentence. While the intention is to refer to an election that has already happened, better alternatives include "the election had taken place" or "there had been an election". These options provide clarity and grammatical accuracy, ensuring effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the election had been completed

More directly states that the election has been finalized.

there had been an election

More grammatically correct phrasing with the inclusion of "an" and reordering for clarity.

the election had taken place

Focuses on the completion of the election event.

there had been a vote

Replaces "election" with "vote" for a slightly less formal tone.

the election was held

Emphasizes the action of holding the election.

the vote had occurred

Uses "vote" as a synonym for election and focuses on its occurrence.

the election happened

Simple and direct alternative emphasizing the occurrence of the election.

an election had transpired

Uses a more formal verb, "transpired", to describe the election.

the electoral process had concluded

Highlights the end of the entire electoral process.

the polling had finished

Emphasizes the completion of polling activities.

FAQs

What is a grammatically correct way to express that an election has already happened?

You can say "the election had taken place", "the election was held", or "there had been an election".

Is the phrase "had been election" grammatically sound?

No, the phrase "had been election" is not grammatically correct. It requires an article or verb to create a complete sentence such as, "there had been an election" or "the election had been completed".

What are some alternatives to "had been election" that convey the same meaning?

Alternatives include "the vote had occurred", "an election had transpired", or "the electoral process had concluded".

How can I use the word 'election' correctly in a past perfect tense sentence?

To use 'election' correctly in the past perfect, structure your sentence as "there had been an election" or "the election had been completed".