had however been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had however been" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a contrast or exception in a past context, often to emphasize a point or clarify a situation. Example: "The project had however been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

46 human-written examples

It had, however, been a long day.

The New York Times - Food

(He had, however, been hoping to drive the car).

The New Yorker

Bhutto's first two stints had, however, been inglorious.

The Guardian - Opinion

Incremental steps had, however, been slowly moving the system in the right direction since the 1980s.

The Guardian - Business

He had, however, been contacted about one incident of leaks in 2003.

The Guardian

Two things had, however, been less clear than they are now.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

"Whatever momentum we had, however, is gone".

The New York Times

Whatever wayward velocities the galaxies had, however, was relatively modest.

The New York Times - Science

He has, however, been aggressive.

The New York Times - Sports

There have, however, been successes.

The Guardian

There has, however, been a little progress.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had however been" to introduce a contrasting element or unexpected development in a narrative or explanation. It's effective for setting up a nuanced or complex situation.

Common error

Avoid using "however" multiple times within a single paragraph. This can make your writing sound repetitive and awkward. If you've already used "had however been", try using a different contrasting phrase like "nevertheless" or "despite this" later on.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had however been" functions as a connector within a sentence, specifically to introduce a contrast or a qualification to a preceding statement. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and effectively signals a shift in thought or circumstance.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Encyclopedias

25%

Science

21%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had however been" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that serves to introduce a contrast or exception in a past context. According to Ludwig AI, it's suitable for use in various writing styles, though most commonly found in news, encyclopedias and science related publications. When employing this phrase, bear in mind the advice to avoid overuse and to consider varied alternatives like "nevertheless" to maintain writing clarity and sophistication. The consistent usage and authoritative sourcing underscore its reliability and versatility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had nevertheless been

Replaces "however" with "nevertheless", providing a slightly stronger sense of contrast.

had still been

Substitutes "however" with "still", emphasizing the continuation of a state despite a contrast.

had in spite of that been

Expands "however" to "in spite of that", making the contrast more explicit.

had despite that been

Similar to "in spite of that", but uses "despite that" for a slightly more formal tone.

had even so been

Replaces "however" with "even so", indicating that something happened despite a previous statement.

had be that as it may been

This phrase sounds archaic, but is useful to concede to some prior point, but then reverse course.

had yet been

Uses "yet" as a contrasting conjunction, implying that something unexpected happened.

had but been

Uses "but" as a coordinating conjunction to introduce a contrast to a previous statement.

had on the other hand been

Introduces a contrasting element, presenting an alternative perspective to a preceding statement.

had contrarily been

Emphasizes a direct contradiction to the previous statement.

FAQs

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

The phrase "had however been" is used to introduce a contrast or exception to a previous statement. For example: "The initial plan was successful; it "had however been" costly."

What are some alternatives to "had however been"?

You can use alternatives like "had nevertheless been", "had still been", or "had despite that been" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "had however been"?

Yes, "had however been" is grammatically correct. It follows the standard English grammar rules for using adverbs and auxiliary verbs to express a contrast in the past perfect tense.

What is the difference between "had however been" and "hadn't been"?

"Had however been" introduces a contrast, while "hadn't been" simply indicates a negative past perfect state. For example: "The task "had however been" completed, but with errors" (contrast), vs. "The task "had not been" completed" (simple negation).