had been preparations

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been preparations" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used in contexts where you want to indicate that preparations were ongoing in the past before another event occurred. Example: "There had been preparations for the event long before the invitations were sent out."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

One Rwandan theologian has put forth the argument that the genocide itself would not have been possible before the 1990s, and that there had been preparations under way for years, and that participation by the media was a "structured attempt to use media to influence awareness, attitudes, or behavior".

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The activity, these officials believe, may have been preparations for the assault.

The New York Times

The three years leading up to it have been preparation.

The Guardian - Sport

"All that looking after other writers must have been preparation for writing," said Fickling.

The Guardian - Books

His entire political life could have been preparation for this campaign.

The Guardian

In a way, Jornet says, all of his racing has been preparation for greater trials.

The New York Times - Magazine

After all, they have been laying the groundwork for victory since 1930 and in a sense everything that's happened since then has been preparation.

The Guardian - Sport

That story of poor white migrants is Steinbeck's finest sustained performance, for which the earlier tragedies and social comedies appear in retrospect to have been preparation.

The Guardian - Books

Years of big-game safaris turn out to have been preparation for the brothers' testimony to their father's Second Amendment absolutism.

The New Yorker

OpenX recently hired longtime Hulu CFO Tom Fuelling in what may have been preparation for an IPO.

TechCrunch

Maybe, more than this eulogy, everything I've ever written has been preparation, finally, to live.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing past preparations, use phrases like "preparations were underway" or "arrangements had been made" for better grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "had been preparations" as a noun phrase; it's grammatically awkward. Instead, rephrase to focus on the action of preparing, such as "preparations were in progress" or "steps had been taken".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been preparations" is intended to function as a noun phrase, describing actions taken in anticipation of a future event. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect, making it unsuitable for formal writing.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been preparations" is grammatically incorrect and rarely used. Ludwig AI identifies this issue, suggesting it's best to avoid this phrase in formal writing. Instead, opt for alternatives like "preparations were underway" or "arrangements had been made" for improved clarity and grammatical correctness. While the phrase appears in various sources, its infrequent and incorrect usage underscores the need for careful phrasing in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

preparations were underway

Focuses on the ongoing nature of the preparations, replacing "had been" with "were underway".

preparations were in progress

Emphasizes the progression of the preparations, similar to "were underway".

arrangements had been made

Shifts the focus to completed arrangements, a more formal alternative.

planning was in motion

Highlights the active planning process, using "was in motion" for a dynamic feel.

steps had been taken

Focuses on specific actions taken in preparation, suitable for detailed contexts.

measures had been adopted

Emphasizes the formal adoption of preparatory measures, suitable for official settings.

groundwork had been laid

Uses a metaphorical expression to indicate foundational preparations.

preliminaries had been completed

Indicates that the initial, preparatory tasks were finished.

foundations had been established

Similar to "groundwork laid", this emphasizes creating a base for future actions.

provisions had been made

Highlights the act of providing necessary resources or arrangements in advance.

FAQs

Is "had been preparations" grammatically correct?

No, "had been preparations" is not grammatically correct. It's better to say "preparations were underway" or "arrangements had been made". Ludwig AI indicates it is grammatically incorrect.

What are some alternatives to "had been preparations"?

You can use alternatives like "preparations were underway", "arrangements had been made", or "planning was in motion", depending on the context. Consider using "preparations were underway" as a direct replacement.

How can I use "preparations" correctly in a sentence?

Use "preparations" with verbs like "were", "are", or "have been". For example, "The preparations are complete", or "The preparations have been extensive".

What's the difference between "had been preparations" and "preparations had been made"?

"Had been preparations" is grammatically incorrect. "Preparations had been made" is correct and means that the preparations were completed before a certain point in the past. You can also consider "arrangements had been made".