had been opened

USAGE SUMMARY

'had been opened' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that was opened in the past and still remains open at the present time. For example: The door had been opened and left ajar for hours.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The door had been opened.

The New York Times

But the gates had been opened.

The New York Times

But now his eyes had been opened.

The Washington Post

As of Monday, only 11 had been opened.

The New York Times

4 & 5,000 new accounts had been opened.

The New Yorker

Governor McDonnell said 28 emergency shelters had been opened.

The New York Times

He declined to say whether any investigations had been opened.

The New York Times

Wardrobes had been opened, clothes pulled out, family photographs smashed.

The Guardian

After descending a few meters they saw that the pit had been opened recently.

Harvard University

The club had been opened to officers stationed at Harvard and to their wives.

Harvard University

The gap that had been opened between the public and the executive branch in the Johnson years had been opened again.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been opened" to describe a state resulting from a past action that has continuing relevance. For instance, "The investigation had been opened weeks ago, and the evidence was piling up."

Common error

Avoid using "had been opened" when a simple past tense ("was opened") is sufficient to describe a single, completed action in the past with no continuing relevance to the present.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been opened" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect passive voice. It indicates that an action of opening something occurred before another point in time in the past. Ludwig confirms that this construction is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Academia

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been opened" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed verb phrase in the past perfect passive voice. As Ludwig AI confirms, its purpose is to describe a state resulting from a past action, with implications for a subsequent time frame. This phrase is prevalent in news, academic, and scientific contexts. When using it, be mindful of using a past tense to pair it well. While common, consider the subtle differences when choosing synonyms like "was inaugurated" or "was initiated" to better suit your desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was opened

Simple past tense, lacks the sense of a continued state.

has been opened

Present perfect tense, focuses on the action's completion.

was initiated

Focuses on the start of a process or investigation.

was inaugurated

Implies a formal opening or commencement.

was commenced

Formal synonym for 'started'.

was unlocked

Suggests access was previously restricted.

had commenced

Past perfect tense of 'commence', indicating an action started and completed before another point in the past.

was revealed

Highlights the disclosure of something previously hidden.

was established

Focuses on the creation or founding of something.

was launched

Implies the start of a project, product, or campaign.

FAQs

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

Use "had been opened" to indicate that something was opened at a point in the past and the state of being open continued for some time after that point. For example, "The door "had been opened" before I arrived, so I knew someone was already inside."

What's a synonym for "had been opened"?

Synonyms for "had been opened" include "was inaugurated", "was initiated", or "was unlocked", depending on the specific context.

What is the difference between "had been opened" and "was opened"?

"Was opened" refers to a single action in the past, while "had been opened" implies that the action happened before another point in the past and potentially continued for some time. For instance, "The meeting "was opened" by the president" vs. "The meeting "had been opened" for an hour before I arrived".

Is it correct to say "had been opened" in formal writing?

Yes, "had been opened" is perfectly acceptable and grammatically correct in formal writing. Its appropriateness depends on the context and the intended meaning.