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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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it was been

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence 'it was been' is not correct or usable in written English.
This phrase does not make sense in Standard English. If you wish to use the verb 'to be' as part of the sentence, you should use the form 'it was' instead. Example: It was a difficult decision, but I was sure it was the right one.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

According to its senior VP of technology strategy, "T-Mobile began an aggressive rollout of enhanced backhaul in 2007 well ahead of our competitors and long before we began to offer 4G". T-Mobile later cited its decision to deploy it own fiber backhaul network as the reason it was been able to upgrade its network to 4G more rapidly than Verizon or Sprint.

News & Media

Forbes

Thus, in the sequential titration of MsbA with ATP or its non-hydrolysable analogue p[NH]ppA, and lipid A, it was been observed that the affinity of lipid A binding is reduced by only 3- to 8-fold when nucleotide is pre-bound, which is unlikely to be large enough to trigger dissociation of the lipid.

It was been linked to the deaths of about 800 in its three decades of armed struggle for an independent state in northern Spain and southwestern France.

News & Media

The New York Times

It was been a pleasure to train him".

Despite flat profits, it was been a good year for Padico.

News & Media

The New York Times

It was been confirmed that the acoustic estimation methods are useful for detecting the variation of the blade tip shape.

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Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

It was being repossessed.

News & Media

The New York Times

It's been clinical.

News & Media

The New York Times

It's been sharp.

It's been memorable!

News & Media

Independent

It's been horrible.

News & Media

The New York Times
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct tense. If referring to a completed action in the past, use "it was" or "it had been" instead of the grammatically incorrect "it was been".

Common error

Avoid combining past simple and past participle forms incorrectly. "It was been" mixes "was" (past simple) with "been" (past participle), creating a non-standard construction. Double-check your verb tenses to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

88%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was been" is an incorrect combination of past tense and past participle forms. In correct English, it does not serve a grammatical function. Ludwig AI confirms its non-standard status.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it was been" is a grammatically incorrect construction. As Ludwig AI highlights, this phrase does not conform to standard English grammar rules. Instead, depending on the intended meaning, use "it was" for simple past tense or "it had been" for past perfect tense. While the search results show its occurrence across various sources, including news and scientific articles, this does not validate its correctness. Always prioritize grammatical accuracy to ensure clear and credible communication.

FAQs

What's the correct way to express a past state or action if I'm tempted to use "it was been"?

Use the simple past tense "it was" or the past perfect "it had been" depending on the context. For example, instead of "it was been decided", say "it was decided" or "it had been decided".

What are some alternatives to "it was been" that maintain a formal tone?

Formal alternatives include "it had been", "it was previously", or "it had previously been" depending on the intended meaning and context.

Is "it was been" ever considered acceptable in certain dialects or contexts?

No, "it was been" is not considered standard English and is generally viewed as grammatically incorrect across all formal and informal contexts. Standard alternatives like "it was" or "it had been" should be used instead.

How does using "it was been" affect the clarity and credibility of my writing?

Using "it was been" can detract from your writing's clarity and credibility, as it is a grammatical error that may confuse readers and undermine your authority. Using correct forms like "it was" or "it had been" will enhance clarity and trustworthiness.

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Source & Trust

88%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: