had initially been done

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had initially been done" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an action that was completed at an earlier time, often in the context of a narrative or explanation of events. Example: "The research had initially been done in 2015, but new findings prompted a reevaluation."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Dr. Guiltinan said there had initially been efforts to do one genome project, but that Mars and the Agriculture Department "decided to go it alone, so we decided to keep doing what we had planned to do".

The New York Times

Someone close to the prosecution complained to me that several of the officers who did testify had initially been more forthcoming about their knowledge of the defendants' activities, only to take the stand and reveal little, and then shake Eppolito's or Cutler's hand on the way out.

The New Yorker

Neither would it name any inspection that had initially been found to be flawed, saying to do so would "place unwarranted uncertainty" on the validity of the final verdict in such cases.

The Guardian

Allen had initially been scheduled to testify.

The Guardian

Meal prep had initially been fraught.

The New Yorker

Concern had initially been voiced by Adam Scott.

The Guardian - Sport

The team had initially been targeting ($300k).

TechCrunch

All the same, an unarmed man who appears to have initially been trying to do a nice thing for an animal was killed by police.

Vice

Everything we've done has initially been met with a lot of disdain.

Vice

If this had not been done, women initially treated with BCT would have been regarded as BCT without RT and excluded from the cohort.

Annals of Surgical Oncology

One mother described an initial sense of dismay at the use of deferred consent: "I wasn't very happy about it, initially, that it had been done without, without asking our consent first" (P12, mother, emergency group, recovered).

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had initially been done" to clearly indicate that an action was completed at an earlier stage but may have been modified or superseded later.

Common error

Avoid using "had initially been done" when referring to an ongoing or future action. Ensure the action has been completed at a prior time.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had initially been done" functions as part of a passive construction in the past perfect tense. Ludwig AI suggests that it describes an action that was completed at some point in the past before another action or time.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had initially been done" is grammatically correct and functions to describe a past action completed before a specific time. Ludwig AI confirms that it is usable in written English. Although examples are limited, the phrase appears across various contexts and source types. Use this phrase to indicate a sequence of events, emphasizing the completion of an action at an earlier stage. Alternatives such as "was originally done" or "was first completed" can be used depending on the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was originally done

Emphasizes the original completion of an action or task.

was first completed

Highlights the completion aspect and sequence with priority.

had originally been planned

Focuses on the initial planning stage of an action.

was initially intended

Highlights the initial intention behind an action.

was at first done

Highlights sequence with emphasis on beginning.

had been originally performed

Emphasizes that the action was executed at an earlier time.

was preliminarily executed

Highlights the preliminary execution of an action.

had been previously undertaken

Stresses that the action happened before another event.

was formerly carried out

Indicates that an action was executed in the past but is no longer active.

had been prototyped

Highlights a prototype was created initially.

FAQs

How can I use "had initially been done" in a sentence?

Use "had initially been done" to describe an action that was completed in the past, but may have been changed or altered later. For example: "The research "had initially been done" in 2015, but new findings prompted a reevaluation."

What are some alternatives to "had initially been done"?

You can use alternatives like "was originally done", "was first completed", or "had originally been planned" depending on the context.

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

No, "was initially been done" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is ""had initially been done"", which uses the past perfect tense to indicate an action completed before a specific time in the past.

What's the difference between ""had initially been done"" and "was initially done"?

"Had initially been done" implies that the action was completed before another point in the past, whereas "was initially done" simply indicates that the action was completed at an earlier time without specifying a subsequent reference point.