had then been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had then been" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used in past perfect constructions to indicate an action that had already been completed in the past before another past action. Example: She had then been living in London for five years before she moved to New York. In this sentence, "had then been" is used to show that the action of living in London (for five years) had already been completed before the action of moving to New York.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Their life had then been chaotic.

The Washington Post

We had then been working together in foreign affairs for 18 months.

The Guardian

The report said players had then been ordered to reprimand coach Kim Jong Hun.

The New York Times - Sports

Striking miners had then been attempting to stop convoys of lorries taking coal to Llanwern steelworks.

The Guardian

He had administered the Japanese puppet-state in Manchuria and had then been minister for munitions.

The Economist

"My name had been Marie, but had then been changed to Katharine.

Independent

All had been used in connection with mining operations upon other claims, but the operations had then been suspended.

Cornell University

But diners who had then been disappointed or annoyed might take another look.

The New York Times

Ms. Schacht-Levine, who was divorced, had then been on her own for six years.

The New York Times - Style

That information had then been passed back to the leader of the bid.

The Guardian - Sport

Two more.32 calibre bullets had then been fired into her head, killing her instantly.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

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

Common error

Avoid using "had then been" when the context only requires a simple past passive construction; ensure there is a clear need to indicate an action completed before another past action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had then been" functions as a past perfect passive construction. This grammatical structure indicates that an action was completed before another point in the past. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating this usage in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Academia

18%

Science

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had then been" is a grammatically correct and frequently used past perfect passive construction, as confirmed by Ludwig. Its primary function is to establish a sequence of events in the past, indicating that one action was completed before another. Predominantly found in news and media, academia, and science, its neutral register makes it versatile across writing contexts. Ensure a clear need to indicate a past action completed before another to avoid misusing it. Ludwig's numerous examples showcase its proper application, ensuring effective and precise communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had at that point been

Emphasizes a specific moment in the past as the reference point.

had previously been

Highlights the prior state or action without explicitly stating the subsequent event.

had earlier been

Similar to 'previously', but implies a shorter time span.

had up to that time been

Focuses on the duration leading to a specific moment.

had until then been

Emphasizes the change in state or action following the reference point.

had before that been

Directly contrasts the state before a particular event.

had at that time been

Highlights the concurrency of a state with a past event.

had subsequently been

Indicates the result or consequence of a past action.

had already been

Stresses the completion of an action before another event.

had formally been

Emphasizes that a situation was officially in effect before a specific point in time.

FAQs

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

The phrase "had then been" indicates a past perfect passive construction, used to describe an action that was completed before another point in the past. For instance: "The project had then been approved before the budget cuts were announced."

What are some alternatives to "had then been"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "had previously been", "had earlier been", or "had already been".

Is there a difference between "had then been" and "was then"?

"Had then been" indicates a past perfect passive, meaning an action completed before another past action. "Was then" is a simple past, describing a state or action at a specific point in the past. The former implies a sequence, while the latter describes a static situation.

How does "had then been" differ from "had since been"?

"Had then been" refers to a state or action existing at a particular past time, with another action following. "Had since been" implies continuity from that initial past point to a more recent past. For instance, "The law had then been enacted" versus "The law had since been amended".