had been formerly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been formerly" is not correct and is generally considered redundant in written English.
You can use it when trying to indicate that something was in the past but the word "formerly" alone suffices. Example: "The building had been formerly used as a school before it was converted into apartments."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

Waleed had been formerly detained on Manus Island but was brought to Australia for medical treatment.

The Guardian

The six members had been formerly active in other bands, not all metal.

The Guardian - Music

On the other hand, supposed differences between Alexandrian and Palestinian Judaism are not as great as had been formerly thought.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A copy of the first edition was eventually found in the library of author and science fiction expert John Clute, whose copy had been formerly owned by Sadleir.

The Guardian - Books

However, he did not publish his observations of Mars made after 1890 because he regarded his vision as less keen than it had been formerly.

Nature

As budget director, Panetta worked out of an office near the White House that had been formerly assigned to the secretary of war.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

Hire someone who has been formerly incarcerated.

The Guardian

Landforms which have been formerly classified as "periglacial talus cones" rather can be considered as glacial or glacially-controlled-landforms.

Geomorphology

In the past six years, close to 5,500 people have been formerly arraigned on adultery charges - including nearly 900 in 2014.

The Guardian

Raising the minimum wage still leaves many workers unemployed or out of the workforce altogether, especially those stigmatized by race, disability, or having been formerly incarcerated.

University of California, Berkeley

Chromatographic comparison studies lead to the conclusion that the currently studied antibodies also produce monocyclic products from the two substrates as has been formerly observed with a squalene-derived substrate.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating that something was previously in a certain state, use the simpler and more direct phrase "was formerly" instead of "had been formerly".

Common error

Avoid using "had been formerly" because it is often redundant. The word "formerly" already implies a past state, so the additional "had been" can make the phrase unnecessarily wordy. Opt for "was formerly" or "previously was".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been formerly" functions as part of a verb phrase indicating a past state or condition that is no longer current. However, Ludwig AI points out that the phrase is not ideal, often being considered redundant. The examples show its use in various contexts, but simpler alternatives are generally preferred.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

32%

Encyclopedias

12%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Academia

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "had been formerly" isn't strictly incorrect, it's often seen as redundant. As Ludwig AI highlights, "formerly" already implies a past state, making "had been" unnecessary. Simpler alternatives like "was formerly" or "had previously been" are generally preferred for clarity and conciseness. Usage analysis shows it appears across various domains, including science, news, and encyclopedias, but more streamlined options are typically better choices for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was formerly

Simplifies the original phrase by removing unnecessary words, resulting in a more concise expression.

had previously been

Replaces "formerly" with "previously", which is often clearer and less awkward in sentence structure.

was at one time

Offers an alternative way to indicate a past state or condition.

had once been

Uses "once" to convey the sense of a past state, providing a slightly different emphasis.

had earlier been

Substitutes "formerly" with "earlier", emphasizing a temporal sequence.

used to be

Employs a common idiom to indicate a past state or condition that is no longer true.

had erstwhile been

Replaces "formerly" with the more formal "erstwhile", suitable for specific contexts.

was in the past

Offers a more descriptive way to express that something was true at an earlier time.

had in the past been

Adds "in the past" for emphasis, though it may be somewhat redundant.

had, in former times, been

Uses "in former times" to evoke a sense of history or a distant past.

FAQs

Is "had been formerly" grammatically correct?

While not strictly ungrammatical, "had been formerly" is often considered redundant. The word "formerly" already indicates a past state, making "had been" unnecessary. It's better to use "was formerly" or "had previously been".

What's a more concise alternative to "had been formerly"?

A more concise alternative is "was formerly". This option removes the redundancy and is generally clearer.

Which is better: "had been formerly" or "had previously been"?

Had previously been is generally preferred over "had been formerly" as it avoids the slight awkwardness and redundancy of the latter.

How can I use "formerly" correctly in a sentence?

Use "formerly" with a simple past tense verb, such as "was". For example, "The building "was formerly" a school."