had been gathered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been gathered" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something was collected or assembled in the past before another event or time reference. Example: "The data had been gathered over several months before the final report was compiled."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

The company said that the data had been gathered inadvertently.

Encyclopedia Britannica

(They had been gathered in season, vacuum-sealed and frozen).

The New York Times - Travel

Then Van Gundy told them why they had been gathered.

The New York Times - Sports

The statistical data on automobile lightning damage reports by conducting field surveys and web-based researches had been gathered.

Electric Power Systems Research

The presentation spoke of "intelligence" that had been gathered regarding contact between board members and reporters.

The New Yorker

Camels, nearly a thousand strong, had been gathered to be bought and sold.

The New York Times - Travel

Finally, the passengers arrived in Uzbekistan, where a committee had been gathered to heckle them.

The New Yorker

Soldiers assaulting the upscale neighborhood where protesters had been gathered were repelled with grenades.

The New York Times

In the field to the east, the corn had been gathered, the ground laid bare.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

"More evidence has been gathered.

The New York Times - Science

What physical evidence has been gathered?

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been gathered" to clearly indicate that the action of gathering was completed before a specific time or event mentioned in the sentence, ensuring clarity and temporal order.

Common error

Avoid using "has been gathered" or "was gathered" when you need to emphasize that the gathering action occurred and finished before another event in the past. "Has been gathered" implies relevance to the present, while "was gathered" lacks the sense of completion relative to another past event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been gathered" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect passive voice. It indicates that an action of gathering was completed before another point in the past. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

33%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been gathered" is a grammatically sound and frequently used past perfect passive construction. As Ludwig AI confirms, it effectively indicates that an action of gathering was completed before a specific point in the past. Predominantly found in News & Media and Scientific contexts, it serves to establish clear temporal relationships. For accurate and impactful writing, use "had been gathered" to emphasize the completion of a gathering process prior to another event, differentiating it from similar tenses like "has been gathered" or "was gathered".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been collected

Replaces "gathered" with a direct synonym, maintaining the past perfect passive voice and meaning.

had been assembled

Substitutes "gathered" with "assembled", suggesting a more structured or organized collection process.

had been compiled

Emphasizes the process of gathering information or data specifically.

had been accumulated

Highlights the gradual increase of something over time before a specific moment.

were amassed

Uses a more concise and direct passive voice construction, suitable for formal contexts.

had been obtained

Focuses on the acquisition or gaining of something, rather than the act of collecting.

had been harvested

Implies a gathering of crops or natural resources.

had been convened

Refers specifically to the gathering of people for a meeting or assembly.

had been culled

Suggests a selective gathering process, where only the best or most relevant items are chosen.

were congregated

Uses a less common synonym for gathered, often implying a spontaneous or unplanned gathering.

FAQs

How can I use "had been gathered" in a sentence?

Use "had been gathered" to describe an action of collecting or assembling that was completed before a specific point in the past. For example, "All the evidence "had been gathered" before the investigation began."

What are some alternatives to "had been gathered"?

Alternatives include "had been collected", "had been assembled", or "had been compiled", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "was gathered" instead of "had been gathered"?

While "was gathered" is grammatically correct, it doesn't convey the same sense of completion relative to another past event as "had been gathered" does. Use "had been gathered" when you want to emphasize that the gathering was finished before something else happened.

What is the difference between "has been gathered" and "had been gathered"?

"Has been gathered" implies that the gathering action is relevant to the present, while "had been gathered" indicates that the action was completed in the past before another point in the past. For example, "The data "has been gathered" for the current study," versus "The data "had been gathered" before the previous analysis."