had been provided with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been provided with" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone received something in the past, often in a formal or passive context. Example: "The participants had been provided with all necessary materials before the workshop began."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Those who had been provided with a monitor through their healthcare provider (e.g. the UK National Health Service - NHS) were thus excluded.

BMC Family Practice

However, on the plane every seat had been provided with a small bottle of water.

The New York Times

Evidence that Iran "had been provided with nuclear explosive design information".

The New York Times

The official said that Greek banks had been provided with enough money to last until Wednesday evening.

The Washington Post

The entities had been provided with, or promised, Enron shares to enable them to meet their obligations.

The Guardian - Books

Ms. Tolchin later said she had made a mistake, adding only that she had been provided with inaccurate information.

The New York Times

He reported the incident to the police, who he said had been provided with photographs of the incident.

The Guardian

Joost Lagendijk, a Dutch MEP who was attacked at Orhan Pamuk's trial, had been provided with eight bodyguards.

The Guardian - Books

BDO added that it had been "provided with evidence to confirm" that MadBid delivered on 18 car and motorbike auctions.

The Guardian - Money

The Israelis also said that the UN had been provided with a window to carry out an evacuation.

Independent

We found that children performed equally well on the recall test whether they had been provided with names by the robot or by the human.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been provided with" when you want to emphasize that someone received something passively, especially as a result of someone else's action.

Common error

Avoid using "had been provided with" when an active voice construction is more direct and clear. For example, instead of "The information had been provided with by the team", consider "The team provided the information".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been provided with" functions as a past perfect passive construction. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates that someone received something before a specific point in the past. It is commonly used to show that a subject was the recipient of an action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

37%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been provided with" is a grammatically sound past perfect passive construction used to indicate that someone received something before a specific time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It is frequently used in News & Media and Science, making it suitable for formal and neutral communication. When writing, ensure clarity by specifying who provided the item or information, and consider whether an active voice construction might be more direct. Alternatives include "had received", "had been given", and "had been supplied with". Remember to avoid misusing the passive voice where an active construction would be clearer.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been supplied with

Substitutes "provided" with "supplied", maintaining a similar level of formality.

had been given

Replaces "provided with" with a more direct synonym, emphasizing the act of giving.

had received

Focuses on the act of receiving, omitting the implication of being supplied by someone.

had been furnished with

Offers a more formal alternative to "provided with", suggesting a complete or equipped provision.

had been equipped with

Implies the provision of items necessary for a specific purpose or task.

had been allocated

Suggests that something was distributed or assigned for a specific purpose.

had been granted

Indicates that something was officially or formally given.

had obtained

Focuses on the action of acquiring something, rather than being given it.

had access to

Emphasizes the ability to use or benefit from something, rather than direct receipt.

had in their possession

Highlights the state of having something, regardless of how it was acquired.

FAQs

How can I use "had been provided with" in a sentence?

You can use "had been provided with" to indicate that someone received something in the past. For example, "The students "had been provided with" all the necessary materials before the exam".

What are some alternatives to "had been provided with"?

Alternatives include "had received", "had been given", or "had been supplied with", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use active or passive voice with "had been provided with"?

While "had been provided with" is grammatically correct, using the active voice can sometimes make your writing more direct. For instance, instead of "The report "had been provided with" by the team", you could say "The team provided the report".

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

"Had been provided with" indicates a past perfect passive construction, referring to an action completed before another point in the past. "Was provided with" is a simple past passive, indicating an action completed in the past. For example: "By the time the meeting started, they "had been provided with" the agenda" versus "She "was provided with" a new laptop for her work".