had been retrieved

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been retrieved" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in the past perfect tense to indicate that something was retrieved before another action in the past. Example: "The data had been retrieved from the server before the system crashed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The debris had been retrieved from a construction site.

The New York Times

Palestinian medics said four bodies had been retrieved.

The New York Times

She added that weapons had been retrieved from the scene, including a firearm.

The Guardian

She believed that nine people had died, although only one body had been retrieved so far.

The New Yorker

It had been retrieved and taken abroad by the man's wife.

The New York Times

After a mode had been retrieved, NLCCA was applied to the residual to successfully retrieve the next mode.

Neural Networks

The bodies had been retrieved from the wreckage of their apartment, destroyed in an Aug. 15 airstrike.

The Washington Post

The indictment and the S.E.C. complaint detailed a number of major deals in which confidential information had been retrieved.

The New York Times

It quoted verbatim from three voicemails, and gave the impression they had been retrieved by the police themselves.

The Guardian

The Sunday tabloid quoted verbatim from three voicemails, and gave the impression they had been retrieved by the police themselves.

The Guardian

State radio, citing the Benin military, said one of the black box recorders had been retrieved from the waterlogged cockpit.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been retrieved" to clearly indicate that an action of retrieval occurred before a specific point in the past. This helps establish chronological order in your narrative.

Common error

Avoid using "had been retrieved" when simple past tense ("was retrieved") is sufficient. Overusing past perfect can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been retrieved" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect passive voice. It describes an action of retrieval that was completed before another point in time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been retrieved" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase in the past perfect passive voice. As Ludwig AI confirms, it serves to indicate that an action of retrieval occurred and was completed before another point in time in the past, thus establishing a clear sequence of events. Its versatility allows it to appear in various contexts, including news reports, scientific papers, and formal communications. When writing, ensure that the use of past perfect is necessary to avoid unnecessary complexity, opting for the simple past tense when appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been recovered

Implies regaining possession of something lost or stolen.

had been obtained

Suggests acquiring something through effort or process.

had been found

Indicates the discovery of something that was previously missing or unknown.

had been regained

Implies a restoration to a previous state or condition.

had been extracted

Suggests removing something carefully from a source.

had been reclaimed

Implies taking back something that was once yours or abandoned.

had been accessed

Focuses on the act of gaining entry or use of something.

had been unearthed

Suggests discovering something hidden or buried, often with historical significance.

had been secured

Implies making something safe and preventing it from being lost or stolen.

had been collected

Indicates the gathering of multiple items into a group.

FAQs

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

The phrase "had been retrieved" indicates an action that was completed before another action in the past. For example, "The data "had been retrieved" before the system crashed."

What are some alternatives to "had been retrieved"?

Alternatives include "had been recovered", "had been obtained", or "had been found", depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "had been retrieved" or "was retrieved"?

"Had been retrieved" is used to show an action completed before another past action. "Was retrieved" indicates a simple action in the past. The choice depends on the desired emphasis on the sequence of events.

What's the difference between "had been retrieved" and "had been restored"?

"Had been retrieved" implies recovering something that was lost or taken. "Had been restored" implies returning something to a previous condition or state.