had been looking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'had been looking' is correct and usable in written English.
You would typically use this phrase to describe an action that has been going on for some time in the past and has recently stopped. For example, "She had been looking forward to the event for weeks, but it was cancelled."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

She had been looking for love, yes.

The New York Times

Granted, I had been looking hard.

The New York Times

He had been looking for me.

The New Yorker

They had been looking at their laptops.

The Guardian - Tech

Adelman had been looking at me intently as he spoke.

The New Yorker

Analysts had been looking for a 2.1 percent increase.

The New York Times

"It's much better than it had been looking".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

Nothing else had been looked at.

Independent

But they had been looked at.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

So I've been looking.

The Guardian

Some have been looking abroad.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been looking", ensure the context clearly establishes a past timeframe and a completed search or anticipation. For example, "She had been looking for her keys all morning, but finally found them in her coat pocket."

Common error

Avoid using "had been looking" when a simple past tense, like "looked", suffices. The past perfect continuous is appropriate when emphasizing the duration or process of looking that concluded before another past event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been looking" functions as a verb phrase indicating a past continuous action completed before another point in the past. It describes a process of searching, anticipating, or expecting something, often emphasizing the duration of the action. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been looking" is a versatile verb phrase used to describe a past action of searching, expecting, or anticipating that concluded before another point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, with the majority of examples sourced from news and media outlets. When using "had been looking", ensure the context clearly indicates a past timeframe and a completed action. Alternative phrases include "had sought", "had searched for", and "had anticipated", each with subtle nuances. By understanding the proper tense usage and context, you can effectively incorporate "had been looking" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been searching for

Emphasizes the active process of searching for a specific item or goal.

had been on the lookout for

Suggests a state of active searching or vigilance.

had been anticipating

Similar to "had anticipated" but puts more emphasis on the duration.

had sought

Focuses on the act of seeking or searching in the past.

had anticipated

Highlights the act of expecting or looking forward to something.

had been awaiting

Similar to 'had awaited' but emphasizes a continuous state of waiting.

had awaited

Implies a patient or expectant waiting for something to occur.

had kept an eye out for

Emphasizes vigilance and attentiveness in looking for something.

had watched for

Highlights the act of observing and waiting for something to appear or happen.

had desired

Indicates a strong wish or longing for something.

FAQs

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

Use "had been looking" to describe an action of searching or anticipating that started in the past, continued for some time, and was completed before another point in the past. For example, "He "had been looking" for a job for months before he finally got an offer."

What's the difference between "had been looking" and "was looking"?

"Was looking" describes an action in progress at a specific time in the past, while "had been looking" indicates an action that continued over a period in the past and finished before another past action or time. For instance, "I was looking for my glasses when the phone rang" versus "I "had been looking" for my glasses all morning before I found them."

What can I say instead of "had been looking for"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "had sought", "had searched for", or "had been searching for".

Is "had been looking" formal or informal?

"Had been looking" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. The level of formality depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure than on the phrase itself.