had been sent first

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been sent first" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was dispatched or transmitted before other items or actions in a sequence. Example: "The documents had been sent first to ensure that the review process could begin without delay."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

They had been sent first to a convent & then to a monastery.

The New Yorker

In the merciless flux of empire they had been sent first to East Africa and then to Trinidad to make 'an immigrant Asian community in a small plantation island in the New World'.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Not only was it snail mail, but had been sent second class.

The Guardian

"I am deeply concerned that today, for what appears to be the first time ever, a Fisa reform bill has been sent first to the House intelligence committee.

The Guardian

Iraqi National Guardsmen on patrol outside the city boasted that they had been sent in first because they "knew the Iraqi street better".

The Economist

A few months later the firm got a phone call from a university: "Hey, we got your data!" Apparently, the university had also sent back a RAID array for service, and it had been sent the first array, refurbished with a new power supply, but with the original data still intact.

MIT Technology Review

A study examining the efficacy of the register found that, of the 429 women who had been sent their first reminder letter (at 15 months), 56% had undertaken a glucose test for diabetes (response rate 46%) [ 25].

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

About 27% of them had not responded to the offer at all, and had been sent a second invitation in the year after the initial non-response.

BMC Family Practice

Mr. LeClerc said 7,600 letters had been sent in the first four days and that the library had so far received $55,000 in donations.

The New York Times - Arts

"We are prepared," Mr. Bloomberg said after 300 snowplows had been sent out, the first of 1,400 that New York City had in waiting.

The New York Times

They took the lead just before half-time through Carlton Cole, then gutsily withstood Cardiff's second-half pressure, even after James Tomkins had been sent off for his second yellow card.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been sent first" to clearly indicate the order of actions, particularly when emphasizing that something was dispatched or transmitted before other items or events in a sequence.

Common error

Avoid using "had been sent first" when the active voice is clearer and more direct. For example, instead of "The report had been sent first by the team", consider "The team sent the report first."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been sent first" functions as a verb phrase indicating an action completed before another point in time. It uses the past perfect passive construction to emphasize the order of events. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been sent first" is a grammatically sound verb phrase used to emphasize the order in which something was dispatched. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is correct and usable in written English. While not highly frequent, it appears predominantly in News & Media and Scientific contexts. To ensure clarity, consider using the active voice or alternatives like "was dispatched initially" for more formal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was dispatched initially

Replaces "had been sent" with "was dispatched" and "first" with "initially", emphasizing the act of sending at the beginning.

was initially sent

Reorders the phrase slightly, maintaining the core meaning of initial dispatch.

was the first to be sent

Highlights that something was the first among multiple items to be sent.

had priority dispatch

Uses "priority dispatch" to indicate that something was sent ahead of others.

was forwarded ahead of others

Emphasizes the forward movement and the element of precedence.

was the primary item sent

Focuses on the item itself being the most important for sending.

was shipped in advance

Highlights the shipping or delivery aspect, denoting something sent earlier.

was transmitted beforehand

Indicates transmission before a specific event or time.

received initial transmittal

Highlights the receipt of the earliest transmission.

was pre-sent

A concise form emphasizing prior sending, though it may sound slightly unusual.

FAQs

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

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "was dispatched initially" or "was the first to be sent".

What does "had been sent first" imply about the order of events?

It implies that the action of sending occurred before other actions, emphasizing the priority or sequence of dispatch.

Is "had been sent first" grammatically correct?

Yes, "had been sent first" is grammatically correct. It uses the past perfect passive voice to indicate a completed action before another point in time.

When is it appropriate to use "had been sent first" in writing?

It's appropriate when you want to highlight that an item or message was dispatched or transmitted before other items or actions in a sequence, especially to emphasize its priority or the order of events.