had been worked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been worked" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in the past perfect tense to indicate that an action happened before another in the past, often used with the past simple tense. For example: "The project had been worked on for several weeks before it was completed".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

People thought they understood light, it had been worked on for many years.

University of California, Berkeley

Then, after Christmas, a plan had been worked out for Saturdays.

The New Yorker

"It had been worked on previously and needed a few pieces ironed out," she said.

The New York Times

Instead, a mere two hundred and forty billion hours had been worked.

The New Yorker

"He had been worked over with a knife pretty well," an investigator told the newspaper.

The Washington Post

That gentle, reliably nasal, public radio staple of a voice had been worked hoarse.

The New York Times - Arts

The new racing wire had been worked out with the telephone company.

The New York Times

Yet, even before it reached the National Gallery, the painting had been worked on.

The Guardian - Arts

The landing pages were coming together, the authentication and registration flow had been straightened out, email had been worked out.

Stanford University

Clearly, Black's moves had been worked out before the tournament began.

The New York Times

The Philharmonic agreed to the deal before many key details had been worked out.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been worked" to describe actions completed before another point in the past, ensuring clarity and chronological order in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using the simple past tense (e.g., "was worked") when the action clearly precedes another past event. Using "had been worked" correctly establishes the sequence of events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been worked" functions as a past perfect passive construction. It indicates that an action (working) was completed before another point in time in the past. As Ludwig AI explains, it's used in the past perfect tense to show an action happened before another action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Academia

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been worked" is a grammatically sound and frequently used past perfect passive construction. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase functions to indicate an action completed before another action in the past. It is appropriate across various contexts, including News & Media, Academia, and Science, and aims to establish a clear sequence of events. To ensure accurate usage, avoid confusing it with the simple past or present perfect tenses. Consider alternatives like "had been processed" or "had been developed" for subtle variations in meaning. With a source quality score of 91 and Very common use frequency, "had been worked" proves a reliable and versatile phrase in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been processed

Focuses on the action of processing, implying a transformation or manipulation of something.

had been developed

Highlights the creation or evolution of something over time.

had been crafted

Emphasizes the skill and care involved in creating something, often implying artistry.

had been prepared

Implies readiness or arrangement for a specific purpose or event.

had been manipulated

Suggests skillful, often strategic, handling or control.

had been handled

Focuses on the management or treatment of something in a particular way.

had been addressed

Highlights the act of dealing with or tackling a specific issue or problem.

had been resolved

Emphasizes the completion or settling of a dispute or problem.

had been cultivated

Implies careful nurturing or development over a period of time.

had been executed

Focuses on the carrying out or implementation of a plan or task.

FAQs

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

Use "had been worked" to indicate an action that was completed before another action in the past. For instance, "The field "had been worked" for years before the new house was built" shows the field's work preceded the house's construction.

What are some alternatives to "had been worked"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "had been processed", "had been developed", or "had been prepared" to convey similar meanings.

Is it correct to say "was worked" instead of "had been worked"?

While "was worked" might be grammatically correct in some passive voice constructions, "had been worked" is more precise when indicating an action completed before another action in the past. The past perfect clarifies the sequence of events.

What's the difference between "had been worked" and "has been worked"?

"Had been worked" is past perfect, referring to a completed action before a point in the past. "Has been worked" is present perfect, linking a past action to the present. Use "had been worked" when discussing past events in relation to each other.