had been spoken

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'had been spoken' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that happened in the past before something else happened. For example: By the time I arrived, the news had been spoken.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

And with that, the code words had been spoken.

The New York Times

Some of Fane's tools had been spoken for already.

The New Yorker

It was the first time that Kurdish had been spoken inside Parliament.

The New York Times

He was right, if his words had been spoken the day after the vote.

The New York Times

"Anytime?" responds the bowler, as if the words had been spoken to him, in a commercial entirely in rhyming couplets.

The New York Times

An initial 150 cars set aside for Americans had been spoken for by June, when Lexus allocated 21 more.

The New York Times

"Julianne said no other director had been spoken to the way I was spoken to," Peirce told me.

The New York Times - Magazine

This is clearly reflected by Evan, a cancer patient, who felt he had been spoken to insensitively.

The Guardian

Labour said Maier had been spoken to twice before publication and had been "content for his quote to be used".

The Guardian

Media have the right to criticise," he said before confirming that Kompany had been spoken to on an individual basis.

The Guardian - Sport

Detective Superintendent Kenny McDonald, the lead officer for the operation, said that Nick had been spoken to by murder detectives and specialist child abuse investigators.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been spoken" to emphasize that a statement or utterance occurred before a specific point in the past, creating a clear timeline of events.

Common error

Avoid using "had been spoken" when the simple past tense ("was spoken") is sufficient. "Had been spoken" is appropriate when indicating an action completed before another past action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been spoken" functions as a past perfect passive construction. This indicates that the action of speaking was completed before another point in time, and the subject is the recipient of the action. Ludwig confirms this grammatical correctness and provides numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been spoken" is a grammatically sound and frequently used past perfect passive construction. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is used to denote that something was said prior to a specific time in the past. Its usage spans across various contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedias, indicating its broad applicability. When using the phrase, ensure it clarifies the sequence of past events and consider simpler alternatives like "was spoken" if the timing isn't crucial.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was uttered

Focuses on the act of saying something, emphasizing the sound or pronouncement.

was expressed

Highlights the conveyance of thoughts or feelings through words.

was stated

Emphasizes a clear and direct communication of information.

had been voiced

Highlights the audible expression of an opinion or feeling.

was declared

Implies a formal or official announcement.

had been articulated

Focuses on the clear and detailed expression of an idea.

was put into words

Emphasizes the act of transforming thoughts or feelings into a verbal expression.

had been communicated

Broadly refers to the transmission of information, not necessarily verbally.

had been mentioned

Refers to a brief or casual reference to something.

had been revealed

Implies that something previously hidden has been made known through words.

FAQs

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

Use "had been spoken" to indicate that words were uttered before a specific time in the past. For example, "The code words "had been spoken" before the driver reacted."

What is an alternative to using "had been spoken"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "was uttered", "was expressed", or "was stated".

When is it appropriate to use "had been spoken" instead of "was spoken"?

"Had been spoken" is appropriate when you need to emphasize that the speaking occurred before another action or time in the past. If the timing is not important, "was spoken" is simpler.

What does "had been spoken" mean?

"Had been spoken" signifies that certain words or phrases were uttered or communicated at a point earlier than another event in the past.