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LETTER HAS BEEN SENT vs LETTER WAS SENT

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Letter has been sent' is used when emphasizing the recent completion of the action. 'Letter was sent' is more neutral and simply states that the action took place in the past.
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Explained by Jennifer
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: September 11, 2024 • 18653 views

LETTER HAS BEEN SENT

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English, especially when emphasizing the recent completion of the action.

This phrase is used to indicate that a letter was recently sent, emphasizing the completion of the action.

Examples:

  • The letter has been sent, so you should receive it soon.
  • I can confirm that the letter has been sent to the correct address.
  • Mar 26, 2019 ... Checked Stanford for the first time in over a month, and it says "A decision letter has been sent". I have no idea what this means, can anyone offer any ...
  • Sep 27, 2008 ... "The letter has been sent to you twice." I meant it as a substitution, but it didn't really make sense alone, sorry.
  • Oct 13, 2019 ... the letter has been sent.) In casual speech, Americans and Canadians often prefer the simple past. (... the letter was sent.) Here is a ...
  • 7 days ago ... @RitchieTorres "A Congressional letter has been sent to the leadership of both Amazon and Twitch". Politics · twitter.com. Open. Locked post.
  • Mar 29, 2016 ... The letter has been sent to our office already. [or]. The letter was sent to our office yesterday. Note that "has been" is generally used for a ...
  • May 18, 2017 ... HITLER QUOTE: This letter has been sent home to parents at Bishop McGuiness High School in OKC over a statement that snuck into the annual ...
  • Once a student's recommendation letter has been sent to the institution, you can track whether the institution has received it. If the institution received ...
  • Oct 20, 2020 ... The letter has been sent to all of them already really early and cannot be rescinded, my RD schools will know I'm applying ED and will think I'm not actually ...
  • 7 days ago ... A Congressional letter has been sent to the leadership of both Amazon and Twitch to sound the alarm about the amplification of antisemitism ...
  • "the letter has been sent" is a correct and usable sentence in written English. You can use it when you are referring to a letter that has already been sent.

Alternatives:

  • The letter has already been sent.
  • The letter has been dispatched.
  • The letter has been forwarded.
  • The letter has been mailed.
  • The letter has been posted.

LETTER WAS SENT

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English, especially when stating that the action took place in the past without emphasizing recency.

This phrase is used to simply state that a letter was sent in the past, without emphasizing the recent completion of the action.

Examples:

  • The letter was sent last week.
  • I found out that the letter was sent by mistake.
  • Nov 3, 2022 ... I was wondering if it's possible to use the IMB to find out when the letter was sent? if so, can i do this online or should i take it into the post office and ...
  • Feb 1, 2018 ... (the past participle). It should be ….. WAS SENT. I sent the letter. THE LETTER WAS SENT ...
  • Do you need to verify that your letter was sent, and when your letter was delivered or that a delivery attempt was made? Use Certified Mail service ...
  • Feb 12, 2018 ... Originally Answered: How do you tell the date a letter was sent if it only has a barcode? ·. The barcode for USPS does not include the date ...
  • May 12, 2019 ... This letter was sent to my cousin David's fiancée after he passed away this year. He was 28. He was on the Organ Donor Register which ...
  • Sep 27, 2008 ... The letter was sent before his wife called. Passive simple past is used when the speaker wants to say definate time frame as in : The letter ...
  • Sep 24, 2021 ... 20K likes, 1042 comments - talbertswan on September 24, 2021: "This racist letter was sent to every Black student and organization at ...
  • Oct 13, 2019 ... the letter was sent.) Here is a brief overview of when to use the present perfect and the simple past. https://www.ef.com/ca/english ...
  • This letter was sent to my cousin David's fiancée after he passed away this year. He was 28. He was on the Organ Donor Register which resulted in him giving ...

Alternatives:

  • The letter had been sent.
  • The letter got sent.
  • The letter was dispatched.
  • The letter was forwarded.
  • The letter was mailed.

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