had been supported

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been supported" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something was supported in the past, often in a context where the support is no longer present or relevant. Example: "The project had been supported by several key stakeholders before funding was withdrawn."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

She had been supported by the human rights charity Liberty.

The Guardian

Schilling acknowledged that his ankle had been supported by a brace and wrapped with tape.

The New York Times - Sports

I knew that the mujahedeen had been supported by the United States.

The New York Times

This murder was symbolically important because Mr. Khoei had been supported by the United States.

The New York Times

The American Civil War stopped such talk, which had been supported by Cubans themselves.

The New Yorker

Peaches had been supported by drug treatment workers for 2 ½ years being prescribed methadone.

Independent

In 720 Sargon squelched a rebellion in Syria that had been supported by Egypt.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The housing market had been supported through the first half of 2010 by a first-time buyers' tax credit.

The Guardian - Opinion

The collapsed bridge, which was about 1,000 feet long, had been supported by a steel truss structure.

The New York Times

The call had been supported by politicians from across the political divide (see here, here and here).

The Guardian

Since 2014, they had been supported by the Greens mayoral candidate Irene Doutney and Labor's Linda Scott, Tsai said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been supported", ensure the timeline is clear. It's most effective when contrasting past support with a present situation where that support is absent or changed.

Common error

Avoid using "had been supported" when simple past tense ("was supported") is sufficient. The past perfect emphasizes that the support occurred before another point in the past. Use "was supported" when describing a single past event without needing to establish precedence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been supported" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect passive voice. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage for indicating a past action of providing assistance or endorsement prior to another event. The phrase highlights that something received support before a specific point in the past.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

8%

Reference

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been supported" is a grammatically correct and frequently used past perfect passive construction. Ludwig AI validates its prevalent use across diverse contexts, particularly in news, science, and encyclopedic content. It serves to provide background information, highlighting past assistance before a specific point in time. While acceptable across many registers, it's particularly suitable for formal writing. When using this phrase, ensure the past perfect tense is appropriate by clearly contrasting past support with a subsequent event. Alternatives like "had been helped" or "had received support" can be used to vary your writing while maintaining clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had received support

Shifts the focus to the recipient of the support rather than the action itself.

had been helped

Focuses more on the act of assistance itself, rather than the sustained nature of the support.

had been assisted

Similar to "had been helped" but can imply a more formal context.

had been backed

Suggests a more active and assertive form of support.

had enjoyed backing

Expresses the support as a positive experience or benefit.

had been sponsored

Implies a financial or official endorsement.

had been sustained

Emphasizes the continuation of support over a period.

had been encouraged

Implies a more motivational and persuasive type of support.

had been commissioned

Suggests a formal request and authorization for something to be done.

had been strengthened

Focuses on the result of support, highlighting improvement or reinforcement.

FAQs

How is "had been supported" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had been supported" indicates that something received support before a specific point in the past. For example: "The project "had been supported" by the government before the new administration took office."

What are some alternatives to "had been supported"?

You can use alternatives like "had been helped", "had been backed", or "had received support" depending on the context.

When should I use "had been supported" instead of "was supported"?

"Had been supported" is used when you want to emphasize that the support happened before another event in the past. "Was supported" is used for a general statement about past support, without implying a sequence of events.

Is it correct to say "has been supported" instead of "had been supported"?

While "has been supported" is grammatically correct, it implies that the support continues to the present. "Had been supported" indicates that the support occurred in the past and may no longer be ongoing.