had even been

USAGE SUMMARY

"had even been" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to emphasize an action or event that preceded another one. For example, "She had already completed her homework before her brother had even been given the assignment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Nobody had even been to Wisconsin.

The New Yorker

None had even been edited.

The Guardian

They had even been denied glorious failure.

The Guardian - Sport

She had even been on TV.

The New Yorker

Some had even been recruited by lesser-known colleges.

The New York Times - Sports

One of the robbers had even been a methamphetamine addict.

The New Yorker

He hadn't known China had even been there.

The New York Times

He had even been in their wedding party.

The New York Times

There had even been talk about revivifying the sex kitten for a hologram show.

The New York Times

Ney Franco, the Sao Paulo coach, also denied that there had even been any violence.

Independent

Years before, Brennan had even been disowned by the President who appointed him.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had even been" to emphasize that an action or state occurred before another past action, adding a sense of surprise or additional information.

Common error

Avoid using "had even been" when the context requires a simpler past tense. Ensure that there is a clear sequence of past actions to justify the past perfect construction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had even been" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, emphasizing an action or state that occurred before another point in the past. As confirmed by Ludwig, it adds emphasis, suggesting surprise or additional information. For instance, 'She had practiced diligently and had even been scouted by a professional team' indicates the scouting was an unexpected or noteworthy outcome of her practice.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

96%

Science

1%

Wiki

1%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had even been" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase that functions as a past perfect verb phrase. It emphasizes an action or state that preceded another in the past, often adding a sense of surprise or additional information, as confirmed by Ludwig. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, the phrase maintains a neutral register suitable for various writing styles. To effectively use "had even been", ensure a clear sequence of past actions is present and avoid using it when a simpler past tense suffices.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had already been

Indicates that something was completed or in a certain state before a specific point in time.

had also been

Emphasizes the addition of something to a previous action or state.

had previously been

Highlights that something was in a certain state at an earlier time.

had at one time been

Suggests something was true in the past, but may no longer be the case.

had once been

Indicates something that existed or was true in the past.

had formerly been

Similar to 'previously', but often implies a more formal or official change.

had in fact been

Used to emphasize the truth or reality of a past state or action.

had actually been

Similar to 'in fact', emphasizing the reality of a past occurrence.

had indeed been

Affirms the past existence or state of something.

had subsequently been

Indicates something that happened after a certain point in time.

FAQs

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

"Had even been" is used to emphasize that an action or state happened before another action in the past. For example, "She had practiced diligently and "had even been" scouted by a professional team before the tournament started."

What are some alternatives to "had even been"?

Alternatives include phrases like "had already been", "had also been", or "had previously been", depending on the specific emphasis you want to convey.

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

No, "was even been" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""had even been"", which uses the past perfect tense to indicate an action completed before another point in the past.

What's the difference between "had even been" and "had been"?

"Had been" simply indicates an action or state in the past perfect tense. "Had even been" adds emphasis, suggesting that the action or state was surprising or noteworthy in the context.