had been made

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been made" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is the past perfect form of the verb "make" and is used to indicate an action that had already happened before another particular moment in the past. For example: By the time the sun rose, the preparations for the party had been made.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

No arrests had been made.

The New York Times

Again, progress had been made.

The New York Times - Sports

A connection had been made.

Independent

No arrest had been made.

The New York Times

The determination had been made.

The New Yorker

No arrests had been made Thursday night.

The New York Times

No arrests had been made, she said.

The New York Times

(As of noon, 403 had been made).

The New York Times

But no such discoveries had been made.

The New Yorker

Progress, of some sort, had been made.

The New York Times

But the decision already had been made.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been made" to clearly establish that an action was completed before another event in the past. This helps to maintain a clear chronological order in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using the simple past tense when the past perfect is necessary to show that one action preceded another. For example, instead of saying "The decision was made before I arrived", use "The decision "had been made" before I arrived" to emphasize the sequence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been made" functions as the past perfect passive form of the verb "make". It signifies that an action of making or creating was completed at a time preceding another action or point in the past. This usage is supported by Ludwig examples demonstrating completion before a specified time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Academia

21%

Science

13%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been made" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that serves to indicate an action completed before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is the past perfect passive construction of "make". It is commonly found in news media, academic texts, and scientific publications. When writing, ensure the tense sequencing is correct to clearly convey the chronological order of events. Alternatives exist, but their suitability depends on the context and the specific nuance you wish to convey. To avoid potential confusion, make sure that you are consistent with the tense.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been completed

Emphasizes the finished state of the action.

had been done

A more general substitute, suitable for many contexts.

was made

Simple past passive, indicating a completed action without specifying its completion before another past action.

has been made

Present perfect passive, focusing on the result of the action in the present.

were made

Past passive plural, indicating multiple actions were completed.

had occurred

Uses a different verb with a similar sense of a past event.

had taken place

Emphasizes the event's happening or occurrence.

was created

Focuses on the creation aspect of the action.

was established

Suggests the action involved setting something up.

was formed

Implies the action involved the creation of a structure or group.

FAQs

How is "had been made" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had been made" indicates that an action was completed before a specific time in the past. For example, "The arrangements "had been made" before the guests arrived" shows the completion of arrangements prior to arrival.

What are some alternatives to "had been made"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "had been made" include phrases like "was created", "was established", or "had been completed".

When should I use "had been made" versus "was made"?

"Had been made" is used when you want to emphasize that an action was completed before another point in the past. "Was made" is used for a simple past passive construction without specifying a prior action. The choice depends on whether you need to establish a sequence of events.

Is it correct to say "mistakes had been made"?

Yes, it is correct. Saying "mistakes "had been made"" implies that the mistakes were committed at some point in the past and discovered or acknowledged before another point in time.