about having been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "about having been" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that has already happened in the past. For example: She had been talking about having been to Europe last summer.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's about having been seen to try.

The Guardian

Many women talk about having been captured by their husbands.

The Economist

Another story of hers, about having been gang raped?

The New York Times

There's nothing intellectually special about having been born a certain race or a certain gender.

University of California, Berkeley

He was embarrassed about having been fired, ashamed of his behaviour and "absolutely alone".

The Economist

He was talking about having been Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.

The New York Times

"She tells stories about having been bullied, and the kids relate," Dr. Hayot said.

The New York Times

In Hughes's oral history, he spoke to McIntyre about having been a hunger striker in prison.

The New Yorker

Virginia's Tim Kaine harps on about having been a missionary in Latin America.

The Economist

We talked about how Fabio felt about having been accepted as a citizen of the US.

The Guardian

Sergeant Feyer was still upset about having been denied the drill sergeant's award.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "about having been" to clearly indicate a completed action or state in the past, ensuring that the context implies a prior experience that is relevant to the current discussion. Be specific to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "about having been" when referring to ongoing or future actions. This phrase specifically refers to completed actions in the past. For example, don't say "I'm worried about having been working on this project tomorrow"; instead, use a future tense construction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "about having been" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically modifying a verb or noun. It indicates the subject of a feeling, discussion, or disclosure related to a past state or experience. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Academia

19%

Science

12%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "about having been" is a grammatically sound prepositional phrase used to introduce the subject of a feeling, discussion, or disclosure linked to a past experience. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is widely used across diverse contexts, including News & Media, Academia, and Science, making it a versatile choice for expressing completed actions or states. When using "about having been", ensure clarity by specifying what past action or state is being referenced to avoid ambiguity. Common errors involve misusing it to describe ongoing or future actions, which it is not suited for.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

regarding having been

Replaces "about" with "regarding", maintaining the focus on a past experience but sounding slightly more formal.

concerning having been

Substitutes "about" with "concerning", similar to "regarding" in conveying a more formal tone.

with respect to having been

Replaces "about" with the more formal "with respect to", indicating a considered reflection on a prior state.

in relation to having been

Uses "in relation to" instead of "about", suggesting a connection or comparison to a past situation.

considering that I was

Rephrases the structure to focus on the speaker's past state, using "considering that" to introduce the reason.

given that I had been

Similar to "considering that", this phrase uses "given that" to emphasize a past condition as a premise.

in light of having been

Employs "in light of" to suggest that a past experience informs a current perspective.

thinking back to being

Changes the focus to a reflective thought process about a prior state or experience.

reflecting on having been

Similar to "thinking back to", this emphasizes the act of reflecting on a past experience.

when I had been

Uses a temporal clause to indicate a past state or experience, shifting the sentence structure.

FAQs

How to use "about having been" in a sentence?

Use "about having been" to refer to a past experience or state that is relevant to a current situation. For example: "She spoke openly about having been bullied as a child."

What can I say instead of "about having been"?

You can use alternatives like "regarding having been", "concerning having been", or "reflecting on having been", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "about having been" or "about being"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they have different meanings. "About having been" refers to a completed action or state in the past, while "about being" refers to a general state or ongoing action. For example: "She was embarrassed about having been fooled" (past action) vs. "She is worried about being late" (ongoing action).

What's the difference between "about having been" and "for having been"?

"About having been" typically introduces the subject of a discussion or feeling related to a past experience. "For having been", on the other hand, indicates a reason or justification related to a past action. Example: "He was honest about having been in prison" vs. "He was praised for having been so brave".