had been seemed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been seemed" is not correct in English and cannot be used as it stands.
It appears to be a confusion of verb forms and tenses, and should be rephrased for clarity and grammatical accuracy. Example: "It had seemed that the project would be completed on time."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The struggle, however bloody and difficult it had been, seemed finally to be paying off.

The New Yorker

The tower where the gate had been seemed intact but the rest of the structure looked unfamiliar.

The New York Times - Magazine

By Thursday, the blank spot on the wall where the Dalí had been seemed to overshadow the dozens of other works.

The New York Times

The gardener had been up since dawn, mowing the lawns and sweeping them, until the grass and the dark flat rosettes where the daisy plants had been seemed to shine.[12].[12]

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Lately, the "Portlandia" characters had "been seeming more akin to who I really am," she added.

The New Yorker

To some it must have been seemed as if John Cleese had suddenly announced that he was going to write a new series of Fawlty Towers.

Independent

The leak, an apparent attempt to show MPs what "might have been", seemed to come from someone close to the former foreign secretary.

Independent

Because of high efficiency and strong adaptability, activated sludge technology has been seemed as the main technology in sewage and wastewater treatment.

AMB Express

Given their newfound success, a look back at how bad the Clippers have been seems appropriate.

The New York Times

(In fact, Where I've Been seems to be a new FB in-house app, maps).

TechCrunch

These works have been seem as possibly too complicated for "amusement" because they employee ambiguities and complicated theological concepts.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "had been seemed" in formal writing. Replace it with grammatically correct alternatives like "had seemed to be" or "had appeared to be" to ensure clarity.

Common error

Do not confuse the passive voice with the past perfect tense. "Had been seemed" incorrectly combines these elements. Instead, use "had seemed to be" for past perfect or "was seemed" (though less common) if a passive construction is intended, but rephrase for clarity in most cases.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been seemed" is an incorrect verb phrase that attempts to combine past perfect and passive voice. As Ludwig AI points out, this combination results in a grammatically unsound construction. A more appropriate form would be "had seemed to be".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been seemed" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's a faulty combination of verb tenses. Correct alternatives, such as "had seemed to be" or "had appeared to be", offer clarity and grammatical accuracy. Given its rarity and incorrectness, it's best to opt for established and precise language to effectively communicate the intended meaning. The contexts where it does appear suggest a casual usage that doesn't align with formal or academic writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had seemed to be

Corrects the verb tense and structure, ensuring proper grammatical form and a clearer meaning.

had appeared to be

Replaces "seemed" with "appeared" for grammatical correctness, emphasizing a visual or superficial impression.

had been perceived as

Emphasizes the idea of something being viewed or understood in a particular way, rather than just appearing so.

had been considered

Highlights a formal assessment or judgment, indicating that something was officially regarded in a certain manner.

had been thought to be

Indicates a general belief or opinion, suggesting widespread acceptance of a particular view.

had been understood as

Focuses on comprehension and interpretation, implying a deeper level of understanding rather than just surface appearance.

had been believed to be

Highlights the act of believing, indicating a strong conviction or faith in something.

had looked like

Simplifies the phrasing to focus on visual appearance and resemblance.

had given the impression of

Highlights the creation of a specific feeling or idea, suggesting intentional or unintentional signaling.

had struck one as

Focuses on personal impact and reaction, emphasizing individual perception and feeling.

FAQs

How can I correct the phrase "had been seemed"?

The phrase "had been seemed" is grammatically incorrect. You can correct it by using alternatives like "had seemed to be" or "had appeared to be" depending on the intended meaning.

What is the difference between "had seemed to be" and "had been seemed"?

"Had seemed to be" is the correct grammatical form, indicating something appeared a certain way in the past. "Had been seemed" is incorrect due to the improper combination of verb tenses and voice.

Is "had been seemed" ever correct in English?

No, "had been seemed" is not considered correct in standard English. It's a miscombination of verb tenses and passive voice construction. Use alternatives like "had appeared" or "had seemed" instead.

What are some alternatives to "had been seemed" in academic writing?

In academic writing, more precise and grammatically sound alternatives to "had been seemed" include "had been considered", "had been perceived", or "had been understood", depending on the specific context.