"was divorced" vs "had been divorced"

Question

"was divorced" vs "had been divorced"

Both "had been divorced" and "was divorced" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Had been divorced" is used when referring to a past event that happened before another past event, while "was divorced" is used to simply state that someone got divorced in the past.

Last Updated: March 24, 2024

This phrase is used to simply state that someone got divorced in the past. It does not imply any specific time frame or sequence of events.

Examples:

She was divorced last year.
He was divorced twice in his lifetime.

Alternatives:

got divorced
ended their marriage
split up

This phrase is used to describe a past event that occurred before another past event. It indicates that the divorce happened at some point in the past.

Examples:

By the time she met him, she had been divorced for five years.
He had been divorced twice before he turned 40.

Alternatives:

had divorced
had gotten divorced
had ended their marriage
had split up

Answer 1

was divorced

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

had been divorced

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"was divorced" vs "had been divorced"

was divorced

had been divorced

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