had been employed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been employed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to talk about something that happened in the past before another event. For example: He had been employed by the company for nearly a decade before deciding to resign.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

A useful myth had been employed again.

Independent

They had been employed as flashing beneath the shingled exterior.

The New Yorker

Barbara had been employed by Reich and Tang.

The New York Times

She had been employed there for 68 years.

The New York Times

Some had been employed more than two years.

The New York Times

DeSalvo was a carpenter, and he had been employed for several weeks on a building project.

The Guardian - Books

Prior to her marriage she had been employed in investment banking in New York City.

The New York Times

Wink had been employed to help McCartney develop her new label.

The New York Times - Style

An extra telephone operator had been employed to handle the increased calls.

The New Yorker

The Saturday before, 22 salesmen had been employed, and now there were eight left.

The New Yorker

We can confirm that Omar Mateen had been employed with G4S since September 10 , 2007

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been employed", ensure that the sentence clearly establishes a sequence of past events, showing that the employment occurred before another action or time in the past.

Common error

Avoid using "had been employed" when a simple past tense ("was employed") is sufficient. Use the past perfect only when indicating that the employment concluded before another point in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been employed" functions as the past perfect passive voice of the verb "employ". Ludwig confirms that this construction indicates an action (being employed) completed before another point in the past.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been employed" is a grammatically sound phrase used to indicate that someone or something was employed before a certain point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English. It’s most commonly found in news and media, as well as scientific contexts. When using this phrase, ensure there is a clear sequence of past events and avoid using it when a simple past tense would suffice. Consider alternatives such as "had been utilized" or "had been hired" depending on the intended meaning. Be mindful of tense consistency to effectively convey temporal relationships.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been utilized

Focuses on the action of using something for a specific purpose, differing slightly from being employed.

had been used

A more general term for having been put to service or purpose, less specific than being employed in a role.

had been engaged

Emphasizes involvement or participation, rather than necessarily being hired or used.

had been hired

Specifically refers to being taken on as an employee; narrower in scope than the original phrase.

had been recruited

Implies a more active process of seeking out and engaging someone; suggests a specialized role.

had been assigned

Suggests a task or duty was given, not necessarily a long-term employment.

had been tasked

Highlights the responsibility or duty that was given to someone, which is different from being hired.

had been appointed

Suggests an official designation or selection, often for a specific role or position.

had been commissioned

Implies a specific project or work was assigned, often for a limited time or purpose.

had been contracted

Suggests a formal agreement for specific services, rather than traditional employment.

FAQs

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

Use "had been employed" to indicate that someone was employed before a specific time or event in the past. For example, "She "had been employed" at the company for five years before she received the promotion."

What is the difference between "had been employed" and "was employed"?

"Was employed" describes a state of being employed at a certain time in the past. "Had been employed" indicates that the employment ended before another time or event in the past. For instance, "He "was employed" as a teacher in 2010," versus "He "had been employed" as a teacher before becoming a principal."

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

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "had been utilized", "had been used", or "had been hired".

Is it correct to say "has been employed" instead of "had been employed"?

The choice between "has been employed" and "had been employed" depends on the timeframe. "Has been employed" connects a past employment to the present, whereas "had been employed" refers to an employment that ended before a specific point in the past. "He "has been employed" since 2010" means he is still employed. "He "had been employed" there before moving to another company" means he is no longer employed there.