had been ready

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been ready" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate a state of preparedness that existed before a certain point in time, often in the context of past events. Example: "By the time the meeting started, we had been ready for over an hour."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That report had been ready months ago.

The New York Times

She had been ready to leave her husband.

The New Yorker

The Ecowas force had been ready to take action.

The Guardian

This will please the European lefties who had been ready to worship the new President.

Independent

Daunted by the summer's losses, many Northern civilians had been ready to give Southerners their independence.

The New York Times

But he had been ready to fight back on his own if necessary.

The New York Times - Sports

But, he said, the team had been ready for signs of consciousness.

The Guardian

"The former regime had been ready to fulfill any demand to keep the workers quiet".

The New York Times

Lavalas officials insisted that they had been ready for elections all along.

The New York Times

When Euromaidan started, I knew I had been ready for it all my life.

The Guardian

When he found it, six years ago, he had been ready to renounce New York altogether.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been ready" to emphasize a past state of preparedness that influenced a subsequent action or event. It clarifies that the readiness existed before something else happened.

Common error

Avoid using "had been ready" when a simpler past tense like "was ready" suffices. "Had been ready" is most effective when contrasting the state of readiness with a later event or change.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been ready" functions as a past perfect continuous construction, indicating a state of preparedness that existed continuously up to a certain point in the past. Ludwig examples confirm its use in describing completed preparations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

97%

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been ready" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that describes a state of preparedness leading up to a specific moment in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage across various contexts, particularly in News & Media. When using "had been ready", ensure that it clearly indicates a state of readiness that precedes another past event, distinguishing it from simpler past tense constructions. Consider alternatives like "had been prepared" or "had been willing" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been prepared

Emphasizes the act of making preparations in advance.

had been willing

Focuses on the willingness or inclination to do something.

had been poised

Suggests a state of being balanced and ready for action.

had been braced

Implies a state of readiness to withstand something difficult.

had been anticipating

Highlights the act of looking forward to something and preparing for it.

had been expecting

Focuses on the expectation of something happening and being ready for it.

had been set

Indicates that everything was in place and ready to go.

had been equipped

Emphasizes the provision of necessary resources or tools.

always been ready

Highlights a continuous state of preparedness.

had been trained

Focuses on the skills and knowledge acquired to be ready.

FAQs

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

Use "had been ready" to describe a state of preparedness that existed before a specific point in time or event in the past. For instance, "They "had been ready" to launch the product, but the market conditions shifted unexpectedly."

What are some alternatives to "had been ready"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "had been prepared", "had been willing", or "had been poised" to convey a similar meaning.

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

Both "was ready" and "had been ready" can be correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Was ready" typically describes a state of readiness at a specific point in the past, while "had been ready" implies a state of readiness that existed before another past event.

What's the difference between "had been preparing" and "had been ready"?

"Had been preparing" focuses on the process of getting ready, whereas ""had been ready"" emphasizes the completed state of preparedness. For example, "She "had been preparing" for the marathon for months, and by the day of the race, she "had been ready" to give it her all."