had been used vs would have been used

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Had been used' is used to talk about something that was used in the past, while 'would have been used' is used to talk about something that might have been used in a hypothetical situation.

Last updated: March 19, 2024 • 1050 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to talk about something that was used in the past.

"had been used "

This phrase is used to refer to something that was used in the past. It is often used in sentences like 'The old building had been used as a school before it was turned into a museum.'

Examples:

The old car had been used by multiple owners before it was sold to me.
The equipment had been used extensively before it broke down.
The house had been used as a filming location for several movies.
The technology had been used in various industries before it became obsolete.
The method had been used successfully in the past.

Show examples from the web [+]

It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to MR Jones. I am wondering if the bold part is a ...
Until I went into the army, I (had been / used to be / was ) an introverted person. And after I I finished army service, I became more confident. I think all of these ...
May 27, 2014 ... The old, discredited leaders of the Party had been used to gather there before they were finally purged. The "had been used to" part troubles ...
Researcher: Shakespeare's pipes had been used for cannabis smoking. Jake Ellison. Published 12:40 pm, Monday, August 10, 2015. William Shakespeare ...

Alternatives:

was used
has been used
used to be
had used
had been employing

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to talk about something that might have been used in a hypothetical situation.

"would have been used"

This phrase is used to refer to something that might have been used in a hypothetical situation. It is often used in sentences like 'If we had known about the issue, a different approach would have been used.'

Examples:

If the weather had been better, the convertible would have been used for the road trip.
If the original plan had worked out, a different strategy would have been used.
If the product had been more affordable, it would have been used by more customers.
If the technology had been available, a different solution would have been used.
If the budget had allowed, a more advanced system would have been used.

Show examples from the web [+]

If the word "nigga" hadn't been there, which word would have been used by black rappers? What's the difference between "for me"and "to me"? And when is the ...
The bombs would have been used on cities in the hope of breaking the Allies' will to fight. Some of Hitler's generals would probably have argued for employing ...
But otherwise you could use ships and pack animals for transporting cargo. Canals would have been used for medium distance transport, actually the norm in ...
In addition to various marbles, limestones, and clays, other building materials would have been used by the ancient Greeks. Cement and mudbrick were ...

Alternatives:

could have been used
might have been used
should have been used
ought to have been used
was supposed to be used

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had been used vs would have been used

"had been used "

"would have been used"

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