it had been removed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it had been removed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something was taken away or eliminated at some point in the past before another past event. Example: "The old software version was no longer functional because it had been removed from the system."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The video for "The Next Day" disappeared temporarily from YouTube and was replaced with a note saying it had been removed because its content violated YouTube's terms of service, the singer's representative, Elizabeth Lutz, said in an e-mail.

The New York Times

By the time it had been removed from Russia, it had already lost its "surprise"–the miniature object concealed within it which in this case was a mechanical elephant.

Forbes

"How is difficult to prove," says Fabergé, "but we think it may have been taken by somebody from the commission reviewing all the things requisitioned from the imperial family and all the rich people". By the time it had been removed from Russia, it had already lost its "surprise --the miniature object concealed within it--which in thisurprise --theechanical elephant.

Forbes

It had been removed from the state highway system in its entirety by 1976.

Wikipedia

By 1pm, it had been removed from the board.

The Guardian

Reaching the final page, he discovered that it had been removed accidentally from the lectern.

The New Yorker

He called back to say it had been removed from the Web site.

The New York Times

Two Dutch Army specialists were slightly wounded when one device exploded after it had been removed.

The New York Times

The liqueur was added to a hot liquid sauce after it had been removed from the heat.

The New York Times

On Monday morning, "Imagine" was ranked No. 105 on Amazon's Web site; by afternoon, it had been removed.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Now it has been removed.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a process where something is intentionally eliminated, use "it had been removed" to highlight the completion of that stage.

Common error

Avoid using "it had been removed" when the removal is the primary focus and not a preceding event. In such cases, "it was removed" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it had been removed" functions as a passive construction in the past perfect tense. This indicates that an action of removal was completed at some point before another action or time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it had been removed" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to denote a past action of removal that precedes another event. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. Its neutral tone and common presence across news, scientific, and academic sources make it versatile for diverse writing scenarios. Remember to use "it had been removed" when specifying that the action of removal happened before another event in the past. When writing, it's important to distinguish "it had been removed" from "it was removed", in order to properly contextualize the sequence of past events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was taken away

Focuses on the action of taking something away, using a more direct verb.

it was eliminated

Emphasizes the complete removal or destruction of something.

it was taken off

Indicates removal from a surface or list.

it was withdrawn

Suggests a formal removal, often from consideration or availability.

it was extracted

Implies a careful or forceful removal, often of something embedded.

it was deleted

Specific to digital content being removed.

it was erased

Focuses on the act of obliterating something, leaving no trace.

it was cleared

Suggests the removal of obstacles or unwanted items.

it was detached

Indicates the separation of something from its point of connection.

it was discarded

Highlights the act of throwing something away as no longer useful.

FAQs

How can I use "it had been removed" in a sentence?

Use "it had been removed" to describe a situation where something was taken away or eliminated before another event happened. For example: "The file was inaccessible because "it had been removed" from the server yesterday."

What are some alternatives to "it had been removed"?

Alternatives include "it was taken away", "it was eliminated", or "it was deleted depending on the context".

Is "it had been removed" grammatically correct?

Yes, "it had been removed" is grammatically correct. It uses the past perfect passive voice to indicate that something was removed at some point in the past before another past action or time.

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

"It was removed" indicates a simple past action, while ""it had been removed"" indicates that the removal happened before another point in the past. The latter emphasizes the sequence of events.