had been sought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been sought" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was desired or requested in the past, often in a context where the action has relevance to the present or another past event. Example: "The information had been sought by the committee for several months before they finally received a response."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

No formal progress reports had been sought from Monbiot.

The Guardian - Opinion

Payroll information had been sought from 64 state, regional and local governmental agencies.

The New York Times

Whether such a court order had been sought for Mr. Tarloff's commitment could not be determined.

The New York Times

Last night David Cameron confirmed that Begg's help had been sought.

The Guardian

Asked if Mr. Lubbers's resignation had been sought or offered, he said, "Not to my knowledge".

The New York Times

It had been sought to rectify some of the current system's oddities.

The New York Times

The warrant charging her with felony child neglect had been sought by a county prosecutor.

The New York Times

The support had been sought by Saunders at a crucial time in the bitter takeover battle.

The Guardian - Business

Jouhaud said he had been sought out to lead the plot in Algeria and had come to Paris with misgivings.

The New York Times

Mr. Mugniyah had been sought by the United States in terrorist attacks that killed hundreds of Americans in the 1980s.

The New York Times

Mr. Browne said no permits had been sought for the demonstration but plans for it "were well known publicly".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been sought", ensure that the context clearly indicates who was seeking what. For example, "The document had been sought by the lawyers" provides clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "had been sought" when an active voice construction would be clearer and more direct. For example, instead of "The information had been sought by the committee", consider "The committee sought the information".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been sought" functions as a passive perfect construction. It indicates that an action of seeking or requesting was completed before a certain point in the past. This passive form shifts the focus to the thing or person that was the object of the seeking, rather than the seeker. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been sought" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to indicate that something was desired or requested in the past, before another point in time. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage and provides numerous examples from diverse sources, primarily news and media, science, and formal business contexts. While versatile, it's advisable to ensure clarity and avoid passive voice overuse by actively constructing sentences when appropriate. Alternatives like "had been requested" and "had been desired" can offer nuanced alternatives depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been requested

Replaces "sought" with "requested", focusing on the act of making a formal request.

had been desired

Replaces "sought" with "desired", emphasizing the aspect of wanting or wishing for something.

had been pursued

Shifts the focus to the active effort of trying to obtain something, rather than simply seeking it.

had been solicited

Indicates that something was asked for, often implying a formal or official request.

assistance was requested

Restructures the sentence to highlight the act of requesting assistance.

input was requested

Specifically refers to the act of requesting input or feedback.

approval was needed

Focuses on the necessity of obtaining approval, which may have involved seeking it.

support was needed

Indicates a requirement for support, implying that it might have been sought.

advice was requested

Highlights the seeking of advice, often from an expert or authority.

permission was requested

Emphasizes that someone requested permission for something.

FAQs

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

Use "had been sought" to indicate that something was desired or requested in the past. For example, "The funding "had been sought" for months before it was approved".

What are some alternatives to "had been sought"?

You can use phrases like "had been requested", "had been desired", or "had been pursued" depending on the specific context.

Is "had been sought" formal or informal?

"Had been sought" is generally considered neutral and appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, though it appears more frequently in news and formal writing.

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

"Had been sought" indicates that the action of seeking occurred over a period in the past and is completed before another point in time, while "was sought" simply indicates that the action happened at some point in the past without specifying duration or completion relative to another event.