had been gathering

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been gathering" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate an action that was ongoing in the past before another action occurred. Example: "They had been gathering evidence for months before the trial began."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Dark political clouds had been gathering around him.

Stanford University

For the country's economy, the Ebola outbreak has punctured the momentum that had been gathering.

Independent

A crowd of spectators had been gathering since early morning, and they began cheering.

The New Yorker

Each had been gathering in the area since late December 1564.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Ms. Davenny had been gathering material for her classes on Israeli history.

The New York Times

Even before the union's endorsement, WiMax had been gathering momentum with Intel's weight behind it.

The New York Times - Tech

Again it was Sasic who punctured the momentum England had been gathering.

The Guardian - Sport

Slowly she has gotten back into gear, pulling out appliances that had been gathering dust.

The New York Times - Food

Outside, several hundred mainly young people had been gathering since late afternoon.

The Guardian

Denuding had been gathering pace, with plans in full throttle over Christmas.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Gangs of youths who had been gathering in Market Street were smashing shop windows and stealing.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been gathering" to emphasize the continuous nature of an action leading up to a specific point in the past. For example, "The storm clouds "had been gathering" all morning, so we decided to stay inside."

Common error

Avoid using "had been gathering" when a simple past tense or past continuous tense is more appropriate. For instance, instead of "They had been gathering when the rain started," consider "They were gathering when the rain started" if the focus is only on the activity at the time it started raining.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been gathering" functions as the past perfect continuous tense, indicating an action that was in progress for a period of time before another action occurred or a specific point in the past. Ludwig confirms its correct usage and provides numerous real-world examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

13%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been gathering" is a past perfect continuous verb phrase used to describe an action that was ongoing for a period before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts, especially in News & Media and Academia. Alternative phrases include "had been collecting" and "had been accumulating". When using this phrase, remember to emphasize the duration of the action leading up to a specific moment in the past and to avoid overuse when a simpler tense would suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been accumulating

Focuses on the gradual increase in quantity or amount.

had been collecting

Emphasizes the act of bringing things together, often in a deliberate manner.

had been amassing

Suggests gathering a large quantity of something, often wealth or power.

had been assembling

Implies the gathering of parts or people to form a whole or group.

had been preparing

Highlights the process of getting ready for something.

had been developing

Indicates a gradual process of growth or evolution.

had been building up

Suggests a gradual increase in intensity or pressure.

had been forming

Focuses on the creation or shaping of something over time.

had been mustering

Implies the gathering of resources or forces, often for a specific purpose.

had been converging

Indicates elements or people moving towards a central point or common goal.

FAQs

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

Use "had been gathering" to describe a continuous action in the past that occurred before another action or time. For example, "The crowd "had been gathering" for hours before the concert began."

What are some alternatives to "had been gathering"?

You can use alternatives such as "had been collecting", "had been accumulating", or "had been assembling" depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "had been gathering" instead of "were gathering"?

"Had been gathering" indicates an action that started in the past and continued until another point in the past, while "were gathering" simply describes an ongoing action in the past. Use "had been gathering" to emphasize the duration and completion of the action before another event. For example, "They "had been gathering" information for weeks before presenting their findings," versus "They were gathering information at the time of the incident."

What's the difference between "had been gathering" and "gathered"?

"Had been gathering" implies a continuous action over a period of time, whereas "gathered" suggests a completed action. For example, "The students "had been gathering" in the library all afternoon to study," versus "The students gathered in the library for a meeting."