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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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had been reached

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been reached" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a previously completed event or action. For example: "The consensus had been reached that the meeting was over."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

The critical point had been reached.

News & Media

The New York Times

A tipping point had been reached.

The upper bound had been reached.

No agreement had been reached by the evening.

News & Media

The New York Times

Liverpool announced that a deal had been reached with Juventus.

He died in 2006 before a verdict had been reached.

News & Media

Independent

But, hours later, he denied any deal had been reached.

News & Media

The Economist

Business models included IPOs when market momentum had been reached.

News & Media

The Guardian

By the next day, most clients had been reached.

News & Media

The New York Times

A later report said an outline agreement had been reached.

The limits of the plutocratic model had been reached.

News & Media

The New Yorker
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been reached" to describe a state or condition that was achieved at a specific point in the past before another action occurred. It's useful for clarifying the sequence of events.

Common error

Avoid using "had been reached" when a simple past tense ("was reached") is sufficient. Use the past perfect only when you need to emphasize that the reaching occurred before another past event.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

86%

Authority and reliability

4.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been reached" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect passive voice. It signifies that a state, agreement, or location was attained at some point before another event in the past. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

31%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been reached" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase indicating that something was attained before a specific point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It's frequently found in scientific and news media contexts, offering a neutral to formal tone. When using this phrase, ensure that the past perfect tense is appropriate to clarify the sequence of events, and consider alternative phrases such as "had been attained" or "had been finalized" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

FAQs

How is "had been reached" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had been reached" indicates that a certain point, agreement, or state was achieved before another event in the past. For example, "The destination "had been reached" before nightfall."

What are some alternatives to "had been reached"?

Alternatives include "had been attained", "had been achieved", or "had been finalized", depending on the context.

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

Using "has been reached" puts the reaching in the present perfect tense, indicating a state that continues to be true now. "Had been reached" is past perfect, indicating completion before another past event. The correct choice depends on the intended meaning and timeline.

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

"Was reached" is simple past passive, indicating something was reached at a point in the past. "Had been reached" is past perfect passive, indicating the reaching occurred before another past event. "The agreement "was reached" yesterday" vs. "The agreement "had been reached" before the meeting began."

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Source & Trust

86%

Authority and reliability

4.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: