had been raising

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been raising" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate an ongoing action that was happening in the past before another action occurred. Example: "She had been raising funds for the charity before the event was canceled."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Tucker had been raising her children and releasing solo records.

The New Yorker

"We had been raising concerns about his safety with the authorities.

Independent

Protest organisers had been raising concerns that authorities might detain Hazare and force feed him.

The Guardian

The commissioner wanted us there so she could explain away the concerns we had been raising.

The Guardian - Opinion

Granted, Thon had been raising money and doing good works long before any of that came to light.

The New York Times

They had been raising the rodents to sell for their fur, which would be made into coats and hats.

The New York Times

Ms. McKee said that Dior had been raising its profile at Harrods even before the current event.

The New York Times

It made Sally feel very gay to think that while she had been raising a family in S. Orange, another lady with her name had been raising a little hell in Monte Carlo.

The New Yorker

The ombudsman had been raising questions with Clydesdale about the effectiveness of its searches for documentation from August 2011.

The Guardian - Business

Local residents had been raising questions about safety on the construction site for months before the accident.

The New York Times

Wilderness Society campaigner Peter Owen told Guardian Australia the modelling justified the concerns the organisation had been raising.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been raising", ensure that the context clearly indicates a past continuous action that occurred before another point in the past. This helps maintain clarity and avoids ambiguity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "had been raising" when a simple past tense or present perfect tense is more appropriate. Using the past perfect continuous incorrectly can make your writing sound awkward or confusing. For instance, prefer "raised" instead of "had been raising" when describing a completed past action without reference to another past event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been raising" functions as a past perfect continuous verb phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, indicating an action that was in progress for a period of time before another action occurred in the past. This construction helps to establish a clear sequence of events and provide context for past actions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

86%

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

2%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Science

1%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been raising" is a grammatically correct and frequently used past perfect continuous verb phrase. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is used to describe an action that was ongoing before another event in the past. Predominantly found in News & Media sources, it serves to provide context and background information. When writing, remember to use it to emphasize the duration of the action leading up to a specific point, and avoid using it when a simpler past tense would suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had elevated

Focuses more on the result of raising something to a higher position or status, less on the continuous action.

had increased

Emphasizes the quantitative aspect of making something larger or more numerous over time.

had cultivated

Implies careful and deliberate effort in nurturing growth or development.

had nurtured

Focuses on caring for and fostering the growth of something, often living beings or ideas.

had fostered

Similar to nurtured, but often used in the context of promoting development or growth in a more formal setting.

had escalated

Describes a rapid increase or intensification of something, often negative, like conflict or tension.

had augmented

Highlights the act of adding to something in order to improve or enhance it.

had built up

Focuses on the gradual accumulation or development of something over time.

had amassed

Implies gathering or accumulating a large quantity of something, usually wealth or possessions.

had generated

Focuses on the creation or production of something, such as ideas, revenue, or energy.

FAQs

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

Use "had been raising" to describe an action that was ongoing in the past before another action or time. For example, "She "had been raising" money for the charity before the event was canceled."

What are some alternatives to "had been raising"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "had elevated", "had increased", or "had cultivated".

Is it correct to say "was raising" instead of "had been raising"?

While "was raising" also describes a past continuous action, ""had been raising"" emphasizes that the action occurred before another point in the past. "Was raising" simply describes an ongoing action at a specific time in the past.

When should I use "had raised" instead of "had been raising"?

"Had raised" should be used when referring to a completed action in the past before another point in the past. "Had been raising" emphasizes the duration and ongoing nature of the action before that later point.