have been decided upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have been decided upon" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to decisions that have been made regarding a particular matter or issue. Example: "The terms of the agreement have been decided upon after extensive discussions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

More trips will follow, but neither the dates nor the destinations have been decided upon.

Independent

The honour would have been decided upon before the Forest Gate raid.

The Guardian

Legal experts had warned that the sanction, understood to have been decided upon on the basis of an offer by the Russians six months earlier, was not enforceable.

The Guardian - Sport

Yet such shows are rarely announced immediately after they have been decided upon.

Forbes

Conversely the inclusion of Yahoo related blocks that compete with Microsoft offerings must have been decided upon by someone, and the purpose of this is questionable: why Yahoo, why now?

TechCrunch

Once founder population have been decided upon, founder candidate individuals should be screened for heterozygosity and pairwise relatedness using molecular measures, as pedigree data will not be available.

Evolutionary Applications

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Guardian Australia has been told that no administrator has been decided upon yet.

The Guardian

One thing has been decided upon: The joint venture will be called IMGX.

The New York Times

Between the time of the shooting accident and the landing another plan had been decided upon.

The New Yorker

Ms. Segarra said that the appointment had been decided upon just yesterday.

The New York Times

Once a definition of cloud has been decided upon, the real arguments for and against cloud computing can be addressed.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "have been decided upon", ensure the context clearly indicates who made the decision and what the decision pertains to. Avoid ambiguity by specifying the deciding parties and the subject of their decision.

Common error

While grammatically sound, "have been decided upon" is in passive voice. Overusing passive voice can make writing sound weak or vague. Consider rewriting in active voice to improve clarity and conciseness; for example, "The committee decided on..." instead of "It has been decided upon by the committee that...".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been decided upon" functions as a passive construction, indicating that a decision has been made. Ludwig examples showcase its use in various contexts, from trip planning to legal matters, consistent with Ludwig's AI assessment.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

32%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "have been decided upon" is a grammatically correct and commonly used passive phrase to communicate that a decision has been made, as confirmed by Ludwig's AI analysis. While it is mostly employed in formal and neutral register across diverse contexts such as News & Media, Science and Formal & Business communications, it's crucial to consider rephrasing to active voice for clearer writing. Alternative options like "have been determined" or "have been agreed upon" can add nuance. When writing, specify who made the decision, and what it pertains to.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been determined

Focuses more on the act of establishing something definitively.

have been agreed upon

Emphasizes mutual consent or agreement between parties.

have been settled

Suggests a resolution to a dispute or uncertainty.

have been resolved

Implies a problem or issue has been successfully dealt with.

have been established

Highlights the act of setting something up or creating a foundation.

have been finalized

Conveys a sense of completion and closure to the decision-making process.

have been chosen

Focuses on the selection of one option from several possibilities.

have been selected

Similar to 'chosen', but may imply a more formal or systematic process.

have been concluded

Highlights the termination of discussions or negotiations.

have been ordained

Implies that the decision has been commanded or decreed.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "have been decided upon" to sound more active?

Consider using active voice constructions like "We decided", "The team chose", or "The committee determined". These options often make your writing more direct and engaging.

Is "have been decided upon" too formal for casual writing?

In very informal contexts, simpler options like "we chose" or "we picked" may be preferable. However, "have been decided upon" is appropriate for most professional and academic settings.

What's the difference between "have been decided" and "have been decided upon"?

"Have been decided" is grammatically correct, but "have been decided upon" often specifies that the decision involves selecting from multiple options or considering various factors. The addition of "upon" emphasizes a deliberative process.

When is it better to use "have been determined" instead of "have been decided upon"?

"Have been determined" implies a more definitive or official finding, often based on evidence or investigation. "Have been decided upon" suggests a choice made among alternatives.