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was sent vs had been sent

'Was sent' and 'had been sent' are both correct, but the aren't used in the same contexts. 'Was sent' is used to describe a past action that happened at a specific time, while 'had been sent' is used to indicate an action that occurred before another past action. The choice between them depends on the context of the sentence.
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Explained by Gregg
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: August 25, 2024 • 14474 views

was sent

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe a past action that happened at a specific time.

Use 'was sent' to indicate that something was sent in the past at a specific time. It is a simple past tense construction.

Examples:

  • The package was sent yesterday.
  • The email was sent by mistake.
  • The letter was sent to the wrong address.
  • Jan 10, 2021 ... In the passive voice, you require THIRD FORM of the concerned verb …..(the past participle). It should be ….. WAS SENT. I sent the letter.
  • Nov 3, 2022 ... I am getting an error: We couldn't process your email because it was sent from a server that is not authorized to send emails for redswirldesign.co.za.
  • Jul 7, 2017 ... UPDATE Seeing the actual email that was sent, possible or not? Email Marketing Tool. Search Email Marketing Tool for solutions or ask a question.
  • Oct 30, 2019 ... RecordId was sent over the bridge, but it's not cached. I am getting this error a lot when trying to implement WatermelonDB.
  • I've recently switched to the Apple Mail App on iOS and I've noticed that it isn't clear about which email address a given email was sent to. I have a ...
  • May 24, 2022 ... Hi, What's the difference between the smart list filter Was Delivered Email and Was Sent Email. I assume the sent filter captures emails ...
  • Dec 4, 2023 ... How can I see the time an email was sent on the desktop app. Status: Resolved. Hello, I'm using the Outlook desktop app and I am unsure how to ...
  • Oct 19, 2015 ... How to use "was sent sales email". I created an email blast with three emails spaced three days apart. What's the best way to prevent emails 2 ...
  • Jan 4, 2024 ... The special on Jaco's manga and DBS retcon it, now the reason Goku was sent to Earth was just to escape the Planet Vegeta destruction. Since the ...
  • Aug 24, 2017 ... I'm only using HTTPS, always rewriting http to https. The thing is, i'm getting a 400 error (The plain HTTP request was sent to HTTPS port) with ...

Alternatives:

  • got sent
  • was dispatched
  • was delivered

had been sent

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate an action that occurred before another past action.

Use 'had been sent' to show that something was sent before a specific point in the past. It is a past perfect tense construction.

Examples:

  • By the time I arrived, the package had been sent.
  • The report had been sent before the meeting started.
  • She realized the email had been sent to the wrong person.
  • Sep 27, 2008 ... Hello Forum, I am confused between had been sent and was sent. Say I want to tell a friend that I already sent a letter to him twice but he ...
  • Apr 1, 2024 ... If Ned had been sent to the Wall then his men would've picked him up outside Kings Landing, or somewhere on the road North, certainly by the ...
  • Mar 2, 2018 ... I had been sent the file to you last week ago. Besides I got one more doubt,is past perfect only can be use when one activity after another ...
  • Apr 2, 2012 ... #19 - If the flowers Drew received today had been sent by. 13 posts; 1; 2 · Next. 13 posts. alee. Posts: 57; Joined: Mar 22, 2012. Mon Apr 02, ...
  • May 15, 2024 ... What if Snape had been sent to give Harry his Hogwarts letter? Discussion. Instead of Hagrid, I mean. I think Hagrid was the ideal choice, he ...
  • Apr 6, 2016 ... What if Ned had been sent to the Wall? Facebook · Twitter · brilliantdiscord_widget. The Latest News. 10 Years of The ...
  • Sep 26, 2023 ... ... never gave me any warnings or errors, so I thought these had been sent. I've checked thrice, they've never been sent, they're not in…
  • Mar 21, 2023 ... Storage was full, can I receive mail that had been sent during that time? Hi, so my outlook notified me that my onedrive storage was full ...
  • Nov 14, 2017 ... An invitation had been sent to my cousin before he learned he was unable to attend.
  • Jun 10, 2019 ... Then the email finally disappeared altogether and I thought it had been sent. But I can't find it in the Sent folder or anywhere else.....I ...

Alternatives:

  • had got sent
  • had been dispatched
  • had been delivered

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