had been works

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been works" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely intended to convey a past continuous action or state, but the structure is incorrect. Example: "The project had been works in progress for several months before it was completed."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In two private dining rooms behind the Grill Room, where there had been works by Lichtenstein and Stella, are now two paintings by Helen Frankenthaler lent by Edgar Bronfman Jr., the scion of Seagram's founding family.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Clearly the original mission had been working.

Independent

Some had been working since before sunrise.

The New Yorker

We had been working with another artist.

The New York Times

"It had been working all night.

The New York Times - Sports

Merrill had been working on the C.D.O.

The New York Times

8 team had been working toward.

The New Yorker

"I had been working a lot lately".

The New York Times - Magazine

It had been working for me.

Science Magazine

Hirschfelder had been working on internal ballistics.

Wikipedia

I had been working at a hospital.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing past continuous actions or states, use the structure "had been + present participle (verb ending in -ing)", such as "had been working" or "had been developing". This clarifies the ongoing nature of the action.

Common error

Avoid using "works" directly after "had been". "Works" is typically a noun. If you intend to express an action, use the present participle form of a verb, for example: "had been working".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been works" functions as part of a past perfect construction, attempting to describe a state or activity that occurred before a specific point in the past. However, based on Ludwig AI analysis, the construction itself is grammatically questionable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been works" is grammatically incorrect and rarely used. Ludwig AI identifies it as a non-standard construction. The intended meaning often revolves around describing past states or actions completed before another point in the past, but the correct form is "had been working" or similar variations using appropriate verb forms. To ensure clarity and grammatical correctness, it is advisable to use alternative constructions like "there had been works" only with specific meanings, and always favor the "had been + verb-ing" structure to denote continuous past actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Had been working

Emphasizes continuous action in the past, replacing the noun "works" with the verb "working".

Had been work

Uses "work" as an uncountable noun describing the nature of the task.

There had been works

Adding "there" as a expletive to indicate existence and to introduce the subject.

Had works

Omitting "been" results in a simpler past tense.

Had some works

Adding "some" clarifies the presence of multiple items of work, suggesting a quantity.

Had completed works

Specifies that the works were finished, adding a sense of completion.

Had unfinished works

Indicates that the works were not completed, focusing on their state of incompletion.

Had previous work

Rephrases to focus on prior work experience or completed tasks in general.

Had works in progress

Highlights that the projects were ongoing at a certain point in the past.

Had pieces of work

Emphasizes the individual items of work rather than the general concept.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "had been"?

The correct way to use "had been" is followed by a present participle (verb ending in -ing) or a past participle. For example, "I "had been working"" or "It "had been done"".

What can I say instead of "had been works"?

Instead of "had been works", consider using phrases like "there had been works" or ""had been working"", depending on the intended meaning.

Is "had been work" grammatically correct?

"Had been work" is not typically grammatically correct. It's better to say ""had been working"" to indicate a continuous action in the past. "Had been work" could be acceptable, even though not elegant, only if "work" is used as an uncountable noun.

How does the context influence the use of phrases with "had been"?

The context dictates the appropriate verb form to use after "had been". Use a present participle (verb ending in -ing) for continuous actions (e.g. "had been developing"), and a past participle for completed actions (e.g. "had been completed").