had not been possible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'had not been possible' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express that something was not possible in the past. For example, "Without the help of my family, I don't think my success would have not been possible."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That connection had not been possible before.

The New York Times

However this had not been possible until recently.

Brain Research Bulletin

This type of extended scholarly experience had not been possible in the previous curriculum.

Stanford University

I said that it had not been possible to remove all the disease.

The New Yorker

Reuters said it had not been possible to verify whether the journalist made his confession freely.

The Guardian - Business

A senior OECD official suggested that had not been possible, in part, because of the UK's hardline position.

The Guardian - Business

"The digital book gives readers the ability to experience all this rich secondary material that had not been possible before.

The Guardian - Books

Luxuriating had not been possible in the morning when England had to buckle down against some insistent Indian bowling.

The Guardian - Sport

But due to the "sophistication of their covert operations", it had not been possible to "neutralise" their activities.

The Guardian

Before this discovery, it had not been possible to experimentally achieve this level of proximity to the quantum critical point in Bose-Einstein condensates.

Stanford University

In particular, genetic animal models of HD have been instrumental in elucidating the progression of behavioral and physiological alterations, which had not been possible using classic neurotoxin models.

Neuroscience

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had not been possible", ensure the context clearly indicates what made the action or event previously impossible. Providing this context enhances clarity and strengthens your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "had not been possible" without explaining the reason. Failing to provide context can leave the reader wondering why something was previously impossible, weakening the sentence's impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had not been possible" functions as a descriptor, indicating that a certain action, event, or state was unachievable in the past. As Ludwig AI explains, it is used to express that something was not possible in the past. The examples on Ludwig show the phrase used in varied contexts to highlight past limitations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

39%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

1%

Formal & Business

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had not been possible" is a grammatically correct and widely used way to express that something was unachievable in the past. As Ludwig AI points out, this phrase is suitable for indicating past limitations. Analysis of example sentences reveals its prevalence in News & Media and Science, suggesting a generally neutral to formal register. Remember to provide context when using this phrase to clarify why something was previously impossible. Related phrases like "was previously impossible" and "was not feasible before" offer similar meanings with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was previously impossible

Focuses on the change from impossible to possible due to advancements or changed circumstances.

was not feasible before

Highlights the impracticality or unsuitability of something in the past.

could not have been done earlier

Emphasizes the inability to perform an action in the past.

was unattainable until now

Stresses the previous impossibility of reaching a certain goal or state.

was beyond reach in the past

Implies that something was out of the realm of possibility or capability.

used to be unachievable

Highlights that something now achievable was not achievable in the past.

was out of the question before

Indicates that something was entirely unacceptable or unconsidered in the past.

was not an option previously

Focuses on the lack of availability or consideration of something as a choice.

was precluded in the past

Emphasizes that something was prevented or made impossible by prior conditions.

was historically unviable

Points out that something was not capable of working successfully in the past.

FAQs

How can I use "had not been possible" in a sentence?

Use "had not been possible" to describe something that was unachievable in the past due to certain limitations. For instance, "Reaching the summit /s/had+not+been+possible without the proper equipment".

What are some alternatives to "had not been possible"?

You can use alternatives like "was previously impossible", "was not feasible before", or "could not have been done earlier" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "had not been possible" or "was not possible"?

"Had not been possible" refers to a past impossibility relative to another point in the past, while "was not possible" generally refers to a single point in the past. The choice depends on the intended temporal relationship.

What's the difference between "had not been possible" and "was impossible"?

While both indicate something was unachievable, "had not been possible" often implies that circumstances have since changed, making it possible now. "Was impossible" simply states a past impossibility without necessarily implying a change.