had immediately been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had immediately been" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action was completed right away in the past, often in a narrative or descriptive context. Example: "The decision had immediately been made to proceed with the project after the meeting concluded."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Despite a citywide dragnet that had immediately been thrown up, everything had gone according to plan.

The New York Times

Besides, I had immediately been struck by her resemblance to Jane Clark and wondered whether she took dictation on his knee.

The Guardian

That view had immediately been embraced by President Bush and Mr. Powell as evidence of Iraq having a biological weapons program.

The New York Times

The infrastructure committee president, Jenny Martínez, said the bill had immediately been sent to the National Assembly, which is expected to approve it on Thursday.

The Guardian

A German report compiled in the 1920s but discovered decades afterwards alleged that French survivors of the action had immediately been executed for attacking medical auxiliaries.In 1991 researchers found his body, and those of his men, buried where they fell.

The Economist

I was concerned, and she told me she'd emailed the boss with her finished work at midnight and had immediately been given more work to do, "so it'll be ready for tomorrow".

The Guardian - Money

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

After 23... Kg7, he should have played 24 Ba2, when Jimenez would have immediately been in trouble.

The New York Times

If they had banned it that would have been great, it would have immediately been No 1.

The Guardian - Music

He said that the passengers should have immediately been led off the train, which should have been taken out of service.

The New York Times

Had the Air Transportation Stabilization Board not voted to allow the revisions, US Airways would have immediately been in default of the original terms of its loan guarantees, officials said yesterday.

The New York Times

The treatment of police in this case has immediately been condemned as too lenient.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had immediately been" to clearly indicate that an action or state occurred without any delay in the past. This construction effectively conveys a sense of immediacy and direct consequence.

Common error

Avoid using "had immediately been" when a simple past tense would suffice. The past perfect is appropriate when indicating an action completed before another point in the past, not for general past events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had immediately been" functions as a past perfect passive construction, indicating an action that was completed instantly before another point in time. It signifies that something was done or experienced without delay. Ludwig examples confirm its role in establishing clear chronological order.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Science

21%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had immediately been" is a grammatically correct and commonly used past perfect passive construction that emphasizes the speed and immediacy of an action completed before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is most frequently found in news and media contexts but also appears in scientific and formal writing. While versatile, it's important to ensure the past perfect tense is appropriate and not misused when a simpler past tense would suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was instantly

Replaces "immediately" with "instantly", stressing instantaneousness.

was immediately

Changes the auxiliary verb tense, focusing on the immediate state.

was promptly

Replaces "immediately" with "promptly", emphasizing quickness.

was quickly

Replaces "immediately" with "quickly", highlighting the speed of the action.

had instantly become

Focuses on the resultant state of becoming something instantly.

had at once been

Uses the more formal "at once" in place of "immediately".

was without delay

Replaces "immediately" with a phrase emphasizing the lack of delay.

was directly

Focuses on the direct consequence of an action.

was straightaway

Uses the informal "straightaway" to convey immediacy.

was right away

Employs the colloquial "right away" to indicate immediacy.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "had immediately been" to sound more formal?

You can use alternatives such as "had promptly been" or "had instantly been" to convey a similar meaning with a more formal tone.

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

"Had immediately been" indicates an action completed before another point in the past, while "was immediately" simply describes an action that occurred in the past. For instance, "The decision had immediately been made before the press conference" versus "The decision was immediately made".

Is it correct to say "has immediately been" instead of "had immediately been"?

No, "has immediately been" uses the present perfect tense, which doesn't fit the context where you need to indicate an action completed before another point in the past. "Had immediately been" is the correct past perfect form.

When should I use "had immediately been" in my writing?

Use "had immediately been" when you want to emphasize that something happened right away in the past and before another event in the past. It's useful for establishing a sequence of events with clear timing.