had long been

USAGE SUMMARY

"had long been" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to refer to something that has been happening for a long time in the past. For example: She had long been dreaming of a trip to Europe.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Bradley had long been a polarizing figure.

The New York Times - Sports

He had long been treated for diabetes.

The New York Times

Stanford had long been "laid to rest".

Independent

The announcement had long been expected.

The Economist

By then Liverpool had long been level.

Independent

Brandeis had long been a labor hero.

The New Yorker

His leaving had long been rumored.

The New York Times

Bears and wolves had long been extirpated.

Yale University

Yet their discontent had long been smoldering.

The New York Times

The lake had long been vulnerable.

The New York Times

I had long been interested in the issues.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had long been" to establish a background condition or a state that existed for a significant time before another event occurred. This helps to provide context and depth to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "has long been" or "is long been" when referring to past events. "Had" is the correct auxiliary verb to use with "been" to indicate a past perfect state.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had long been" functions as a past perfect continuous construction, indicating an action or state that continued for an extended period before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a grammatically sound way to express duration in past events.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Academia

18%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Science

8%

Reference

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had long been" is a versatile phrase used to denote a prolonged state or action leading up to a specific point in the past. As Ludwig AI points out, it's grammatically correct and widely used. The phrase frequently appears in "News & Media" and academic contexts, indicating its suitability for formal and neutral communication styles. When using the phrase, ensure correct tense usage to avoid common errors. Alternatives like "had always been" or "had for a long time been" can be used for semantic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been for a long time

Rephrases the idea using "for a long time" to emphasize duration.

had always been

Suggests the condition was true since the beginning.

had historically been

Adds a historical perspective, indicating past records or events.

had traditionally been

Highlights the role of custom or tradition in establishing the condition.

had previously been

Emphasizes that it was true before, but not necessarily now.

had consistently been

Highlights the unchanging nature of the condition.

had for years been

Specifies that it continued to be true for an extended duration of multiple years.

was long considered to be

Focuses on the long-held belief or opinion.

was for a prolonged period

Highlights the prolonged duration of the situation.

was formerly

Indicates a previous state, contrasting it with the present.

FAQs

How is "had long been" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had long been" is used to describe a state or condition that existed for a considerable time before a specific point in the past. For instance, "She had long been dreaming of visiting Paris before she finally booked her trip."

What are some alternatives to "had long been"?

Alternatives include phrases like "had always been", "had for a long time been", or "had traditionally been", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

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

No, "has long been" is used for ongoing situations that started in the past and continue to the present, while "had long been" refers to a situation that was true for an extended time before a specific point in the past.

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

"Had long been" describes a state existing for a prolonged period before a certain past event, whereas "was long" simply describes something that was long in duration at some point in the past. The first one implies a continuous duration, the second doesn't.