had been requested

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been requested" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that a request was made in the past and is relevant to the present situation. Example: "The documents had been requested by the committee before the meeting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And yet, the pleasure of our company had been requested.

The New York Times

The bill had been requested by law enforcement.

The Washington Post

Checks were repeatedly dropped before they had been requested.

The New York Times - Food

But he insisted he did not feel that any action had been requested.

Independent

The trade measures had been requested by the Myanmar leadership and Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi.

The New York Times

The records had been requested by a military commissions appeals court, according to several military officials.

The New York Times

Officials said that 80 absentee ballots had been requested at just nine addresses.

The New York Times

He kept, as had been requested, the coach's other profession to himself.

The New York Times

If that had been requested, let alone required, the money would have been refused.

The Washington Post

"We are not talking about a written guarantee," he said, adding that none had been requested.

The New York Times

The Foreign Ministry declared that France's help had been requested through diplomatic channels.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been requested" to clearly indicate that a request occurred in the past and is relevant to a current situation or decision.

Common error

Avoid using "was requested" when the past perfect tense is necessary to show that the request happened before another point in time. The past perfect emphasizes the completed nature of the request before something else happened.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been requested" functions as a passive construction in the past perfect tense. It indicates that the subject of the sentence was the recipient of a request made at a time prior to another point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

28%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Academia

4%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been requested" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed past perfect passive construction. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's suitable for indicating that a request occurred before a specific point in the past. While its register leans toward neutral to formal, it finds application across various domains, prominently in News & Media and Scientific contexts. When employing this phrase, remember to consider alternatives such as "was requested" or "had been asked for" depending on the specific nuance you aim to convey. Be cautious not to confuse the past perfect tense with the simple past unless the context specifically calls for it.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was requested

Changes the tense from past perfect to simple past, implying the request happened at a specific time.

had been asked for

Uses a different verb to convey the request, focusing on the act of asking.

had been solicited

Implies a more formal or proactive request, suggesting the request was actively sought.

had been called for

Suggests a need or demand for something that was requested.

had been applied for

Emphasizes the process of formally requesting something, often involving an application.

had been requisitioned

Implies a formal demand or order, often used in military or organizational contexts.

had been sought after

Indicates that something was highly desired and actively pursued through a request.

had been appealed for

Suggests a plea or urgent request for something.

had been bid on

Implies a request within a competitive bidding process.

had been petitioned for

Indicates a formal written request signed by multiple people.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "had been requested" to sound more formal?

You could use phrases such as "had been solicited", "had been requisitioned", or "had been petitioned", depending on the context.

What is the difference between "was requested" and "had been requested"?

"Was requested" indicates a simple past action, while "had been requested" indicates an action completed before another point in the past. For example, "The report was requested last week" vs. "The report "had been requested" before the meeting".

Is it ever incorrect to use "had been requested"?

It would be incorrect if the context requires a simple past tense or a present tense. The past perfect is specifically for actions completed before another point in the past.

What are some common synonyms for "had been requested" in legal documents?

In legal contexts, you might use more formal alternatives such as "had been mandated", "had been ordered", or "had been subpoenaed", depending on the specific situation.