had been spying

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been spying" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe an action that was ongoing in the past before another action occurred. Example: "She realized that he had been spying on her for months without her knowledge."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

She had been spying.

The New Yorker

Prosecutors said AIM members believed that Ms. Aquash had been spying on AIM for the F.B.I.

The New York Times

It recently emerged that AK had been spying on the Gulenists as well.

The Economist

The spook showed Straw a memo from someone who had been spying on his sister.

The Guardian

Soviet intelligence, however, was on to Colonel Penkovsky, who had been spying for the West since the spring of 1961.

The New York Times

Kennedy was exposed as a police spy by the activists he had been spying on in October 2010.

The Guardian

Theirs was a cat-and-mouse game that grew tender and passionate until Carrie made a slip and revealed that she had been spying on him all along.

The New York Times - Arts

They say he had been spying on girls at a riding school before stealing a red Fiesta and driving to Keyworth.

Independent

Davis had been spying on a militant group with extensive ties to the I.S.I., and the C.I.A. didn't want to own up to it.

The New York Times - Magazine

Two days later, Eisenhower admitted that the C.I.A. had been spying, but refused to apologize, insisting that such missions were necessary for national security.

The New York Times

Killer of NBC Stagehand Is 'Untidy' in Sing Sing The television networks had been spying on him and directing rays at him.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been spying" when emphasizing the duration of the covert activity leading up to a specific event or discovery. It indicates an ongoing action in the past.

Common error

Avoid using "had been spying" when a simple past tense ("spied") is more appropriate. "Had been spying" implies a duration or continuation that "spied" does not.

Linguistic Context

Had been spying functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect progressive tense, indicating an action that was ongoing for a period of time before another action or point in time in the past. Ludwig confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Wiki

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been spying" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase that describes a past, ongoing act of secret observation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears predominantly in news and media contexts, often to report on espionage or covert surveillance activities. While semantically related alternatives like "had been surveilling" or "had been conducting surveillance" can provide variety, it's crucial to maintain tense consistency and contextual relevance. Avoiding overuse and focusing on clear, precise language will ensure effective communication. In short, "had been spying" effectively communicates clandestine actions unfolding over time.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been surveilling

Replaces "spying" with "surveilling", emphasizing a more formal and often technological aspect of observation.

had been conducting surveillance

Replaces "spying" with the more formal term "conducting surveillance", often used in legal or official contexts.

had been secretly watching

Simple rephrasing, maintaining the core meaning of clandestine observation.

had been monitoring

Focuses on the continuous observation over time, often for a specific purpose or reason.

had been observing secretly

Adds "secretly" to emphasize the clandestine nature of the observation.

had been gathering intelligence

Shifts the focus to the collection of information, implying a strategic purpose.

had been keeping under observation

Emphasizes the act of maintaining someone or something under scrutiny.

had been keeping watch on

Uses a more informal expression, implying a general observation rather than targeted intelligence gathering.

had been investigating covertly

Highlights the investigative aspect with the addition of "covertly" to denote secrecy.

had been eavesdropping

Specifically refers to listening in on conversations, a subset of spying.

FAQs

How do I use "had been spying" in a sentence?

"Had been spying" describes an ongoing action in the past that occurred before another event. Example: "The agency "had been spying" on foreign diplomats for years before the leaks came to light."

What's the difference between "had been spying" and "spied"?

"Had been spying" indicates a continuous action over a period in the past, whereas "spied" indicates a completed action. For example, "They "had been spying" on her for months" versus "They "spied" on her that one time."

Are there formal alternatives to "had been spying"?

Formal alternatives include phrases like "had been conducting surveillance" or "had been gathering intelligence", which sound more professional in official contexts.

What prepositions typically follow "had been spying"?

The preposition "on" is commonly used after "had been spying", indicating the target of the spying activity. Example: "The company "had been spying" on its competitors."