had been evidence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been evidence" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used in contexts where one is discussing past evidence that existed or was present at a certain time. Example: "There had been evidence of a significant increase in sales before the new marketing strategy was implemented."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

It added that there had been evidence that government officials had given questionable briefings to the media.

The Guardian - Business

The reports found that there had been evidence of failures by IHMS to make accurate reports to the department.

The Guardian

He said there had been evidence that many of the coursework assessments by classroom teachers were "wrong".

Independent

In the days after the crash, Australia's then prime minister, Tony Abbott, said there had been "evidence of tampering on an industrial scale".

The Guardian

[Juror 1] was extremely unhappy because there had been evidence about [Medlock's] bad character but no mention of rape in the information.

The Guardian

For him, this had been evidence that the person behind the wheel was determined to push ahead, and to do harm.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

She said successive governments had consistently refused to take an "evidence-based approach" out of "fear of the tabloids", while Labour's Paul Flynn said drug policy since 1971 had been "evidence-free and prejudice-rich".

BBC

The good adhesion between the two components had been evidenced by SEM observations.

Polymer

In Tanzania, there has been evidence of increasing Islamist activism.

The Guardian

There appeared to have been evidence that something was amiss at Winterbourne View.

The Guardian

The "assessments were rarely countersigned which would have been evidence of management oversight".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to past evidence, use "there was evidence" or "there was proof" for clearer and more grammatically sound sentences. "Had been evidence" can sound awkward and is often unnecessary.

Common error

Avoid using "had been" excessively when simply describing evidence that existed in the past. Opt for the simpler "was" unless you need to emphasize the sequence of events. For example, instead of "There had been evidence of tampering", consider "There was evidence of tampering."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been evidence" functions as part of a clause asserting the existence of proof or indications in the past, typically in relation to another past event. However, as Ludwig AI points out, the construction is not correct in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "had been evidence" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI indicates that it is not correct in standard written English. The phrase attempts to convey the existence of proof in the past, often in relation to another past event. However, it's generally recommended to use "there was evidence" or rephrase the sentence for better clarity and grammatical correctness. The use of this phrase spans news media and scientific contexts, but it is less common overall. Alternatives like "there was evidence" or "evidence suggested" are often more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there was evidence

Uses the simple past tense, indicating evidence existed at a specific time.

evidence suggested

Focuses on what the evidence implies or points towards.

indications pointed to

Emphasizes the direction or conclusion that the evidence supports.

proof existed

Highlights the presence of definitive proof.

it was evident

Focuses on the clarity and obviousness of the evidence.

the data indicated

Specifically refers to data as the source of evidence.

findings revealed

Emphasizes the act of uncovering or discovering evidence through findings.

the inquiry showed

Highlights evidence that comes as a result of an investigation

it was shown that

Impersonal construction highlighting the establishment of the validity of something

the analysis confirmed

Highlights evidence that comes as a result of an investigation

FAQs

What is the correct way to say there was evidence?

The most grammatically sound way to say there was evidence is using the simple past tense: "There was evidence". Alternatively, you can use "There had been evidence" if you are referring to a past event that occurred before another past event.

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

Consider using phrases like "there was evidence", "evidence suggested", or "indications pointed to" depending on the context.

Is it correct to use the past perfect construction in "there had been evidence"?

While grammatically possible, using the past perfect construction "there had been evidence" is generally only necessary when contrasting it with another past event. In many cases, the simple past "there was evidence" is sufficient and clearer.

How does "there was evidence" differ from "there had been evidence"?

"There was evidence" indicates evidence existed at some point in the past. "There had been evidence" suggests the evidence existed before another point in the past that you are referencing.