Example sentences of "['s] [noun] had [be] [adj] " in BNC.

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No	Sentence
1	If the judges in Elmer 's case had been strict conventionalists they would have decided that case in two stages .
2	Second , I would not have believed the car was there if my son 's hi-fi had been silent , even though the car itself remained outside .
3	( 2 ) Dismissing the appeals , that the visitor 's decision had been correct ( post , pp. 1114F–G , 1116D , 1126A , B , 1133B ) .
4	The martyr 's grave had been one type of such sites .
5	If her grandfather 's grave had been open she would have thrown herself in .
6	But Elizabeth 's presence had been chilling ; Mary 's presence was of a different quality .
7	Her cousin 's look had been full of spite .
8	A typical Capricorn characteristic , if Debbie 's notes had been accurate in any way at all !
9	At least in his judgment of French national psychology , Falkenhayn 's appreciation had been accurate .
10	The little boy 's search had been successful , for now he brandished the scarlet sports car which was the prize of his collection .
11	But whatever I thought of him , Gyggle 's therapy had been one hundred per cent successful .
12	SMETANA and Dvorak — the RSNO 's programme had been tailor-made for Walter Weller and one had looked forward to a good wallow ; to tunes , and torrents of the particularly lush sounds he and his orchestra make together .
13	Until the British parliament passed the Naturalisation Act in 1870 , the Queen 's subjects had been unable to renounce their citizenship .
14	Others would be borne by the few feminists and freaks who preferred girls , for the whole thing would be voluntary ; no compulsion would be needed ; PopCon 's research had been thorough .
15	Yet it was true , she thought , surprised ; Ryan 's mouth had been thin .
16	He had been employed before 1917 in the archives of the foreign ministry and one of his ancestors on his mother 's side had been Russian ambassador in Vienna during the 1814 – 15 congress .
17	Blackberry 's reasoning had been first-rate and Bigwig had at least shown which way any sound-hearted rabbit would be likely to lean .
18	Everyone 's mood had been cheerful and relaxed .
19	Elise 's parents had been involved in that accident , too , and it was only after the two cousins lost their families that they became so close .
20	Sigeberht the Good , king of the eastern Saxons , over whom Oswiu 's influence had been considerable , was murdered at an unknown date ( but well before 664 for Sigeberht 's successor was dead by 664 ) and replaced by Swithhelm , son of Seaxbald ( HE 111 , 22 ) ( see Appendix , Fig. 2 ) .
21	Now she knew why Vitor 's attitude had been conciliatory .
22	Jenny 's home had been one of constant arguments and rows .
23	History might have been different if Cleopatra 's nose had been longer or Napoleon had been taller .
24	It really was er of the sort , you know , if Cleopatra 's nose had been half an inch longer , history would have all been different , you know , that , that kind of trivia .
25	My father 's nature had been sunny .
26	But to describe him as a " deliberate plagiarist " may overlook another , but unknown fact : that he was assured , at the time he used the material , that the originator 's consent had been forthcoming .
27	( Part of Arnold 's failure had been due to his poor delivery as few could actually hear his mumbled address . )
28	The superintendent 's reaction had been unexpected .
29	Foinavon had been trained by Tom Dreaper in Ireland for Arkle 's owner Anne , Duchess of Westminster , but while in Dreaper 's charge had been notable mainly for his extraordinarily laid-back demeanour : in a chase at Baldoyle he was in the lead when falling at the third fence , throwing Pat Taaffe well clear , but Foinavon did not bother to scramble to his feet , preferring to remain on the ground and pick quietly at the grass beside him .
30	If the Queen 's telescope had been able to reach into Patrick 's classroom , there would have been a surprise in store for her — but not for Patrick , who at least affects to believe the story that Orwellian minders are peering at the punters from the screens of the punters ' television sets .

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