had previously been

USAGE SUMMARY

"had previously been" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
Example sentence: "The report had previously been submitted to the board for review."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The account had previously been handled internally.

The New York Times

The exchange rate had previously been fixed.

The New York Times

The assignment had previously been handled internally.

The New York Times

The building had previously been the St . Moritz Hotel

The New York Times

He had previously been arrested in Norfolk.

The Guardian

Mr. Legendre had previously been at Taillevent.

The New York Times - Food

This move had previously been delayed.

The Guardian

He had previously been linked with Milan.

The Guardian - Sport

They had previously been thought long extinct.

The Guardian - Travel

He had previously been on anti-depressants.

The Guardian

She had previously been an E.U. auditor.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had previously been" to clearly establish a sequence of events in the past, ensuring the earlier action is fully completed before the later one.

Common error

Avoid using "had previously been" when a simple past tense is sufficient. Overusing it can make your writing sound overly formal or complex when a simpler construction would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had previously been" functions as a past perfect passive construction. It indicates that an action was completed before another point in the past. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Academia

28%

Science

13%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had previously been" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for establishing a sequence of events in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it serves to clarify that one event occurred before another, providing essential context in various writing styles. While suitable for formal contexts, be mindful of overusing it when simpler tenses suffice. Remember to use it when you want to clarify the order of past events, keeping your writing clear and concise.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been formerly

Reorders the words while maintaining the same meaning.

was formerly

Emphasizes a change in state or condition.

was earlier

Focuses on the time aspect, indicating something happened at an earlier point.

had once been

Implies a change from a past state to the present.

had at one time been

Highlights that something was true or existed at a specific time in the past.

previously existed as

Highlights the prior existence of something, often before a transformation.

had been in the past

Directly refers to a past occurrence.

had erstwhile been

Utilizes a slightly archaic term, 'erstwhile,' for 'former'.

had antecedently been

Uses a more formal and less common term to indicate a prior state.

was once upon a time

Adds a storytelling tone, suggesting a long time ago.

FAQs

How can I use "had previously been" in a sentence?

Use "had previously been" to indicate that an action or state occurred before another point in the past. For example, "The project "had previously been delayed" due to funding issues, but now it's back on track".

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

"Had previously been" indicates the past perfect tense, showing an action completed before another past action. "Was previously" is simple past, indicating an action that occurred at an earlier time. For instance, "He "had previously been arrested" before the current incident" implies an earlier arrest impacted the present situation, whereas "He "was previously arrested"" simply states an earlier arrest.

What are some alternatives to "had previously been"?

You can use alternatives such as "was formerly", "had once been", or "was earlier" depending on the context. These options provide similar meanings with slight variations in tone and emphasis.

Is it always necessary to use "had previously been" when describing a past event?

No, it is not always necessary. Use "had previously been" when you need to emphasize that one past action was completed before another. If the sequence is clear or not important, using the simple past tense, such as "was previously", might be sufficient.