was being appointed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was being appointed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an ongoing action in the past related to someone being given a position or role. Example: "During the meeting, it was announced that she was being appointed as the new director of the department."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

My proudest achievement at work was... being appointed to my present job three years ago.

The Guardian

If the new director general needed a reminder that the pay issue has not gone away, it came on the morning he was being appointed.

BBC

When Jackie Harvey was told late last year by Newcastle business school that she was being appointed professor, her main worry was what to call herself.

The Guardian

In the meantime, Ms. Sills said, Janice Price, vice president for consumer markets and new technology since 1997, was being appointed interim executive director.

The New York Times - Arts

Nokia said Mr. Kallasvuo would be succeeded by Jesper Ovesen, the former chief financial officer at TDC, the Danish phone operator, who was being appointed to help make Nokia Siemens a "more independent entity".

The New York Times - Tech

The shift came as Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that the head of the Justice Department task force in charge of the case was being appointed as the chief federal prosecutor for the western district of North Carolina.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

A year earlier, Dr. Paige had been elected to the Houston school board, and in 1994 he was was appointed superintendent.

The New York Times

That same year he was was appointed as an English lecturer at Cambridge, becoming a fellow of Jesus College in 1957.

The Guardian

All these attorneys general are elected Democrats, except Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin, was was appointed by Democratic Gov. David Ige.

Huffington Post

Take episcopal appointments: There can be no doubt that dud bishops are being appointed, whose special quality is that they will be unpopular.

Los Angeles Times

He is being appointed unusually early.

The Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that the context clearly indicates who is doing the appointing and what the role or position is.

Common error

Avoid using active voice when the passive voice is more appropriate. For example, instead of saying "they were appointing him", use "he was being appointed" to emphasize the recipient of the action rather than the actor.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was being appointed" functions as a passive progressive construction, indicating that someone was in the process of receiving an appointment at a specific time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was being appointed" is a grammatically correct and commonly used passive progressive construction that describes an ongoing appointment process in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and correctness. It is most frequently found in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Academic contexts, indicating its appropriateness for various registers. When using this phrase, ensure the context clarifies who is doing the appointing and what the role is, and avoid using active voice when passive voice is more fitting. Consider alternatives like "was being designated" or "was in line to be appointed" for nuanced meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was in the process of being appointed

Emphasizes the ongoing nature of the appointment process.

was in line to be appointed

Highlights the expectation or likelihood of appointment.

was slated for appointment

Suggests a planned or scheduled appointment.

was on the verge of being appointed

Indicates imminent or very near appointment.

was under consideration for appointment

Focuses on the evaluation phase before appointment.

was chosen to be appointed

Highlights the selection process.

had been selected for appointment

Highlights that a selection has already occurred.

was named as the appointee

Focuses on the naming of the person.

was designated for the role

Highlights the designation to the role more than the appointment.

was tapped for the position

Uses a more informal verb to highlight the selection.

FAQs

How to use "was being appointed" in a sentence?

Use "was being appointed" to describe an ongoing action in the past where someone was in the process of receiving a new position. For example, "The new director "was being appointed" during the annual meeting".

What can I say instead of "was being appointed"?

You can use alternatives like "was being designated", "was being assigned", or "was in line to be appointed" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "was being appointed" or "was appointed"?

"Was being appointed" describes an ongoing process in the past, while "was appointed" indicates a completed action. For example, "He "was being appointed" throughout the month of June", versus "He "was appointed" on June 1st".

What's the difference between "was being appointed" and "is being appointed"?

"Was being appointed" refers to a past action, while "is being appointed" refers to a present action. For example, "He "was being appointed" last week", versus "He "is being appointed" this week".