had been estimating

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been estimating" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe an action that was ongoing in the past before another action occurred. Example: "Before the final report was submitted, the team had been estimating the project costs for several weeks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

According to Thomson First Call, Wall Street had been estimating 80 cents a share.

The New York Times

Many analysts had been estimating 30 cents a share for the quarter.

The New York Times

The preliminary 1990 census count for Mississippi was 2,535,000, more than 4percentt below what the bureau had been estimating for the state.

The New York Times

That is more than double the expected $1.85 to $1.90 a share for this year and 20 percent higher than analysts had been estimating for next year.

The New York Times

"People are now beginning to worry that the economy may not recover as early as they had been estimating," said Bill Barker, an investment strategy consultant at Dain Rauscher.

The New York Times

Scientists had been estimating light's speed for centuries, but not until the 1970s, following experiments involving lasers in a vacuum, did they settle on a number: exactly 299,792,458 meters per second.

The New York Times - Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

It had been estimated at over $60 million.

The New York Times

It had been estimated at $1.5 million to $2.5 million.

The New York Times - Arts

It had been estimated to fetch $1 million to $1.5 million.

The New York Times - Arts

Cleanup costs in Rhode Island had been estimated at $2.4 billion.

The New York Times

The Mollino table had been estimated to sell for $150,000 to $200,000.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been estimating" to describe an ongoing process of calculation or prediction that occurred before a specific point in the past. It's particularly useful when contrasting the initial estimations with a later, more accurate figure or realization.

Common error

Avoid using "had been estimating" when referring to current or future estimations. This tense specifically refers to past, ongoing actions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been estimating" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect continuous tense. It indicates an action of estimating that was ongoing for a period of time before another action or point in the past. Ludwig AI corroborates this through various examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been estimating" is a past perfect continuous verb phrase used to describe an ongoing action of estimation before a specific point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and appears most frequently in news and media contexts with some presence in scientific fields. When writing, it's important to remember the past tense nature of the phrase and to use it when describing a process of estimation that preceded another event. Alternatives include "had previously calculated" or "had projected earlier", each carrying slightly different connotations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had previously calculated

Uses "calculated" instead of "estimating", implying a more precise computation. It also replaces "been" with "previously".

were previously estimating

Changes from past perfect continuous to past continuous, indicating a less completed action.

had projected earlier

Replaces "estimating" with "projected", suggesting a forecast into the future. It also replaces "been" with "earlier".

had anticipated

Uses "anticipated" instead of "estimating", conveying a sense of expectation rather than a calculation.

had initially assessed

Replaces "estimating" with "assessed", suggesting an initial evaluation. It also replaces "been" with "initially".

had forecasted

Replaces "estimating" with "forecasted", implying a prediction based on available data.

had budgeted

Uses "budgeted" instead of "estimating", implying financial planning.

had expected

Replaces "estimating" with "expected", indicating a belief about what would happen.

had approximated

Uses "approximated" instead of "estimating", suggesting a rough calculation or estimation.

had reckoned

Replaces "estimating" with "reckoned", conveying an informal sense of calculation or judgment.

FAQs

How do I use "had been estimating" in a sentence?

Use "had been estimating" to describe an ongoing process of calculation or prediction in the past, before another event occurred. For example: "The company "had been estimating" profits before the market crash."

What are some alternatives to "had been estimating"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "had previously calculated", "were previously estimating", or "had anticipated" to convey similar meanings.

What is the difference between "had been estimating" and "estimated"?

"Had been estimating" implies a continuous action over a period in the past, while "estimated" refers to a completed action in the past. For example: "They "had been estimating" the costs for weeks before they finally estimated the total cost".

Is "had been estimating" formal or informal?

The phrase "had been estimating" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it leans slightly towards formal due to its complexity.