had formerly been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had formerly been" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a past state or condition that existed before a certain point in time. Example: "The building had formerly been a school before it was converted into apartments."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

His first wife was Papiria, the daughter of Maso, who had formerly been consul.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Fundamentally, Mr. Jacopetti considered himself a journalist, which he had formerly been.

The New York Times

What had formerly been an Arab-Kurdish relationship was transformed into a Sunni-Shiite-Kurdish triangle.

The New York Times

I planned to visit the locations that had formerly been used as camps.

The New Yorker

The witness had formerly been a driver for Mr Anwar's wife.

The Guardian

Murray's inside-out forehand had become as fallible as it had formerly been lethal.

The Guardian - Sport

The ladies' conclusion was that the situation, which had formerly been serious, was now desperate.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

Medics who had formerly been soldiers mentioned being easily startled by loud noises.

Conflict and Health

Students had formerly been housed at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel.

Wikipedia

Scotland had formerly been strong Labour Party territory.

Vice

However his mother was Italian and had formerly been Catholic.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had formerly been", ensure the subsequent text highlights the current state or condition to emphasize the contrast.

Common error

Avoid using "had formerly been" when simply stating a past fact without implying a subsequent change; instead, use "was" or "used to be" for straightforward past states.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had formerly been" functions as a past perfect construction, indicating a state or condition that existed in the past before another point in the past. It is used to provide context by highlighting a previous state.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Academia

26%

Encyclopedias

14%

Less common in

Science

8%

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had formerly been" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to describe a past state or condition that has since changed. Ludwig AI confirms this, providing numerous examples across diverse sources like news media, academic texts, and encyclopedias. While versatile, it is best suited for contexts where providing historical background or emphasizing a transition is important. Simpler alternatives such as "used to be" are available for less formal communication. Remember to use it to set context and follow up with an explanation of the change.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had previously been

Emphasizes the temporal aspect of being before, adding a sense of sequence.

was formerly

A more concise way of saying "had formerly been", suitable for formal writing.

had once been

Highlights a time in the past when something was different, implying a change.

had in the past been

Adds emphasis to the fact that something was different in the past.

used to be

A more informal way of expressing a past state, suitable for casual contexts.

had at one time been

Similar to "had once been", emphasizing a specific point in the past.

had earlier been

Focuses on the earlier occurrence or state of something.

had before been

Similar in meaning to "had previously been" but slightly less common.

had at an earlier stage been

Expresses that something was different at a previous point in its development.

had erstwhile been

Uses a more archaic term ("erstwhile") to indicate a past state.

FAQs

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

Use "had formerly been" to describe something that used to be a certain way but is now different. For example, "The restaurant "had formerly been" a library before its renovation".

What's a simple alternative to "had formerly been"?

A simpler alternative is "used to be". For example, instead of saying "The building "had formerly been" a post office", you can say "The building used to be a post office".

Is "had formerly been" appropriate for informal writing?

While grammatically correct, "had formerly been" can sound somewhat formal. In informal contexts, consider using alternatives like "used to be" or "once was".

What is the difference between "had formerly been" and "was formerly"?

"Had formerly been" implies a completed action or state in the past with relevance to the present, whereas "was formerly" simply states a past condition. The former emphasizes the transition or change more strongly.