had been preferred

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been preferred" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate a past preference that was established before another past event. Example: "Before the new policy was implemented, it had been preferred to allow flexible working hours."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

They controlled the second half and Tyton, who had been preferred to Wojciech Szczesny, excelled to keep Poland in contention.

The Guardian - Sport

On Friday City learned that Wasps rugby club, once of London, had been preferred as new owners of the Ricoh.

The Guardian - Sport

However, Lindegaard had been preferred to David De Gea, United's £18-million Spanish goalkeeper, after De Gea made a hash of things in the Blackburn game.

The New York Times - Sports

Jakub Blaszczykowski worked the ball wide right for Kamil Grosicki, who had been preferred to Bartosz Kapustka, and he dinked his cross over the head of Boateng.

The Guardian - Sport

Allied said it would sell its 14.5percentt stake in Peter Lehmann to the Hess Group, whose bid had been preferred by Peter Lehmann's independent directors.

The New York Times

Olympiakos's second was a personal disaster for David Ospina, the goalkeeper, who had been preferred by Wenger to Petr Cech, the marquee summer signing from Chelsea.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Two other styles have been preferred.

Harvard Business Review

Others have been preferred to Josh McGuire.

The Guardian - Sport

Men's doubles has been preferred.

The Guardian - Sport

Instead, the deployment of Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) infrastructures has been preferred for that operation.

Computer Standards & Interfaces

Transport Triggered Architecture (TTA) has been preferred over conventional DSPs/VLIW architectures as processing element (PE) of MPSoC.

Journal of Systems Architecture

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been preferred", ensure that the context clearly establishes the timeframe of the preference in relation to another past event. This helps avoid ambiguity and clarifies the sequence of events.

Common error

Avoid using "had been preferred" when simply stating a current preference. This tense is for past preferences influencing a subsequent past event; use "is preferred" or "was preferred" for general or ongoing preferences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been preferred" functions as a passive perfect pluperfect verb phrase, indicating a completed preference that existed before another point in the past. It is commonly used to express a prior choice or selection, as demonstrated by the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been preferred" is a versatile construct indicating a past preference influencing a subsequent past event. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it’s grammatically correct and usable across various writing styles. Predominantly featured in "News & Media" and "Science", its neutral tone makes it appropriate for diverse contexts. The key is to ensure clear temporal context, distinguishing it from present or ongoing preferences. When clarity or simplicity is favored, alternatives like "was favored" or "was chosen over" can effectively convey the same meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was favored

Replaces "had been preferred" with a simpler verb tense and synonym.

was chosen over

Emphasizes the act of selecting one option instead of another.

was selected rather than

Highlights the deliberate decision to pick one option.

was given precedence over

Indicates a prioritization or higher rank.

took priority over

Suggests a more forceful allocation of importance.

was deemed superior to

Implies a judgment of higher quality or effectiveness.

was found preferable to

Indicates a discovery of preference after consideration.

emerged as the better option than

Suggests a comparison where one option became clearly superior.

was favored against

Highlights the act of favoring something against another choice.

was considered first over

Suggests that something was given more consideration than something else.

FAQs

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

Use "had been preferred" to show that something was favored before a specific event in the past. For example, "Before the change in management, a more collaborative approach "had been preferred"."

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

"Was preferred" describes a preference at a specific point in the past. "Had been preferred" indicates a preference that existed before another past event. The latter implies a sequence of past events where the initial preference influenced later actions.

What can I say instead of "had been preferred"?

You can use alternatives like "was favored", "was chosen over", or "was selected rather than" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "has been preferred" instead of "had been preferred"?

The choice depends on the timeline. "Has been preferred" indicates a preference that started in the past and continues to the present. "Had been preferred" refers to a past preference that existed before another event in the past. For example: "This method "has been preferred" since 2010," versus "Before the new update, this method "had been preferred"."