had occasionally been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had occasionally been" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an action or state that happened at irregular intervals in the past. Example: "She had occasionally been late to meetings, but it was never a frequent issue."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Back in Squamish, Sheena Harris, who had raced against Miller before and had occasionally been with her in groups that trained together, was also having serious doubts.

The New York Times - Sports

The complaint said James Nichols had told Federal agents that his brother, Terry, and Mr. McVeigh had occasionally been at his farm since December 1991.

The New York Times

Years later, Ms. Hay learned that her broadcasts had occasionally been used to transmit coded secret information, she said on her Web site.

The New York Times

But I do wish that the author had occasionally been less James Lipton-ingrandating and more Mike Wallace-aggressine in his line of questioning.

The New York Times - Books

My name is Gray Davis and I am the governor!" Mr. Davis had occasionally been mentioned as a presidential prospect until California's power crisis.

The New York Times

This core audience has been welcoming to Mr. Rauch's (and his predecessors') commitment to putting on productions that reflect the country's diversity, although Mr. Rauch said there had occasionally been complaints.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

Still, the criticism has occasionally been scathing.

The New York Times

It has occasionally been divided.

The Guardian

Even opera has occasionally been represented.

The New York Times - Arts

Concurrent bacterial and viral CNS infection has occasionally been reported.

Journal of Clinical Virology

The codes have occasionally been a politically partisan issue.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had occasionally been" to describe past events or states that occurred at irregular intervals, providing context for understanding the frequency of the action.

Common error

Avoid using "had occasionally been" when the event occurred frequently. Choose a phrase that more accurately reflects the frequency, such as "had often been" or "had regularly been".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had occasionally been" functions as a past perfect construction indicating actions or states that occurred at irregular intervals before a specific point in the past. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness, providing examples of its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had occasionally been" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase for describing past events that occurred at irregular intervals. According to Ludwig, this phrase is typically employed to provide context regarding the frequency of an action or state. While it is suitable for both formal and informal writing, you might opt for more precise alternatives to convey more specific frequencies. Common contexts where this phrase occurs include news, scientific publications, and encyclopedias.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had sometimes been

Replaces "occasionally" with "sometimes", indicating a less specific frequency.

had infrequently been

Substitutes "occasionally" with "infrequently", suggesting a lower frequency of occurrence.

had rarely been

Replaces "occasionally" with "rarely", implying a very low frequency.

had now and then been

Uses the idiomatic expression "now and then" instead of "occasionally".

had from time to time been

Replaces "occasionally" with "from time to time", conveying a similar meaning with slightly more formality.

had at times been

Similar to "had sometimes been" but with a slightly more formal tone.

had periodically been

Uses "periodically" instead of "occasionally", suggesting that events recurred at certain intervals.

had intermittently been

Substitutes "occasionally" with "intermittently", implying irregular stops and starts.

had sporadically been

Replaces "occasionally" with "sporadically", indicating that events occurred in scattered instances.

had on occasion been

Uses the phrase "on occasion" to convey a sense of infrequency.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "had occasionally been" to indicate a higher frequency?

To indicate a higher frequency than "had occasionally been", you could use phrases such as "had often been", "had frequently been", or "had regularly been".

What's the difference between "had occasionally been" and "had rarely been"?

"Had occasionally been" suggests that something happened at infrequent but irregular intervals, while "had rarely been" indicates that something almost never happened.

Is "had occasionally been" suitable for formal writing?

"Had occasionally been" is suitable for formal writing, as it is grammatically correct and conveys a clear meaning. However, in some contexts, you might prefer more precise alternatives like "had intermittently been" or "had periodically been" to enhance clarity.

Can I use "sometimes had been" instead of "had occasionally been"?

While "sometimes had been" might be understood, it is not as grammatically standard as "had occasionally been" or "had sometimes been". The placement of "sometimes" after "had" is more conventional and clearer.