be being

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'be being' is not grammatically correct.
It would be better to use the verb 'to be', i.e. 'I am being' or 'She was being'. For example: "She was being brave when she faced her fear of heights."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Italy may just be being Italy.

The New York Times

So being married would be being trapped".

Independent

He may be being realistic.

The Guardian

I accept I may be being unreasonable.

The Guardian

I could just be being racist.

The Guardian

I'd be being prepared for the slaughterhouse.

The Guardian

Alternatively, he may be being accurate.

The New Yorker

She might just be being polite.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Pay, gradually, does seem to be being restrained.

The Economist

Anybody that asks for more would just be being greedy.

Independent

The first effects may already be being felt.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "be being" in formal writing; it's often grammatically incorrect and can be replaced with simpler, more direct verb forms such as "is being" or "was being".

Common error

Don't use "be being" when a simple present or past continuous tense suffices. For example, instead of "He may be being realistic", consider "He may be realistic" or "He may be acting realistically" for better clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be being" functions as part of a verb phrase, typically attempting to form a continuous tense. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, it is often grammatically incorrect. The correct usage involves auxiliary verbs like "is", "was", "are", or "were" before "being".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

31%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Huffington Post

7%

TechCrunch

3%

Los Angeles Times

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "be being" appears frequently across various sources, including news and scientific publications, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, this construction often results from confusion in forming continuous tenses. Correct alternatives include using auxiliary verbs such as "is being" or "was being" to properly convey an ongoing action in the passive voice. It's advisable to avoid using "be being" in formal writing to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is being

Uses the present continuous passive voice.

was being

Uses the past continuous passive voice.

are being

Uses the present continuous passive voice for plural subjects.

were being

Uses the past continuous passive voice for plural subjects.

being

Uses the present participle form of the verb, often in gerund phrases.

to be

Simplifies the verb phrase to its base form, omitting the continuous aspect.

is getting

Uses the present continuous form of "get", often in passive constructions.

was getting

Uses the past continuous form of "get", often in passive constructions.

to have been

Uses the perfect infinitive form of the verb.

to get

Replaces "be" with "get", often used in passive constructions.

FAQs

Why is "be being" generally considered grammatically incorrect?

The construction "be being" often results from confusion between the infinitive form of "to be" and continuous tenses. It's typically more appropriate to use forms like "is being" or "was being".

When might I encounter the phrase "be being"?

You might see "be being" in informal writing or speech, but it's advisable to avoid it in formal contexts. It often appears when attempting to create a continuous tense, but it's rarely grammatically justified.

What are some correct alternatives to "be being" in passive constructions?

Instead of "be being", use constructions like "is being" (present continuous passive) or "was being" (past continuous passive) to form passive continuous tenses correctly.

How can I ensure I'm using the correct continuous tense?

Focus on using auxiliary verbs (is, was, are, were) correctly with the present participle (being) to form continuous tenses. For example, "The project "is being" implemented" is grammatically sound.