had been retained

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been retained" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate an action that happened in the past, that is no longer true in the present. For example: "The family kept their old photo albums, which had been retained for generations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A $100 million insurance policy had been retained.

The New York Times

Mr Greer, who had been retained by Mr Al Fayed, was identified as the middleman.

The Guardian

He had been retained by Merrill, at what point I don't know.

The New Yorker

The original menu had been retained, and the food was neither good nor bad.

The New Yorker

Police said Mr Talbot had been retained in custody for questioning.

Independent

The two criminal defense lawyers, Joel L. Daniels and Andrew C. LoTempio, said they had been retained by Ms. McVeigh.

The New York Times

Elwood Kurtz, the owner of Homestead Land Services, had been retained by Mr. Percudani to validate property records.

The New York Times

Mr. Holman, now a political consultant to the Schundler campaign, had been retained as a lobbyist for Parsons.

The New York Times

He had been retained to represent the manager of L.A. Fitness, a health club in southwest London.

The New Yorker

Futerfas and Resnick had been retained by a number of defendants accused of participation in the Colombo war.

The New Yorker

He in turn served notice on city officials that he had been retained, a common prelude to a lawsuit.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been retained" to clearly indicate that something was kept or maintained at a specific point in the past, and that this action is completed. For example: "The original data had been retained for analysis."

Common error

Avoid using "had been retained" when the action of retaining is ongoing or continues to the present. Instead, use "has been retained" or "is being retained" to reflect the current status.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been retained" functions as a past perfect passive construction, indicating that an action of retaining was completed before a specific point in the past. This construction is used to emphasize the prior completion of the action. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been retained" is a versatile and grammatically sound phrase used to indicate that something was kept or maintained before a specific point in the past. As highlighted by Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. It is most frequently encountered in News & Media, Science, and Academic writing, demonstrating its wide applicability across various registers. For alternative phrasing, consider options like "had been preserved" or "had been kept", ensuring the chosen phrase aligns with the intended context. Remember to avoid using "had been retained" when the retaining action is still ongoing; instead, opt for "has been retained". With these guidelines, you can confidently and accurately incorporate "had been retained" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been preserved

Emphasizes the act of maintaining something in its original condition over time.

had been safeguarded

Emphasizes the act of protecting something from potential harm or risk.

had been maintained

Suggests an effort to uphold or continue something at a certain level or standard.

had been conserved

Focuses on protecting something from loss, waste, or harm.

had been kept

A more general term indicating something was held or maintained in the past.

had been upheld

Implies support or confirmation of something, often a principle or decision.

had been sustained

Indicates something was supported or prolonged over a period.

had been stored

Highlights the act of placing something in a specific location for future use.

had been stockpiled

Suggests accumulating a large quantity of something for future use or need.

had been stockpiled

Suggests accumulating a large quantity of something for future use or need.

FAQs

How can I use "had been retained" in a sentence?

Use "had been retained" to describe a past action of keeping something. For example, "The evidence "had been retained" for further investigation."

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

"Was retained" indicates a simple past action, while "had been retained" indicates a past action completed before another point in the past. For example, "The lawyer "was retained"" versus "The lawyer "had been retained" before the trial began."

What are some alternatives to "had been retained"?

Alternatives include phrases like "had been kept", "had been preserved", or "had been maintained", depending on the specific context.

Is "had been retained" formal or informal?

"Had been retained" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its usage depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure than its inherent formality.