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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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by been

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by been" is not correct and usable in written English.
It appears to be a grammatical error, as "been" is the past participle of "be" and should not follow "by" in this context. Example: "This project was completed by being thorough in our research."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Yet city management and labor leaders alike say that at this critical time, with so many jobs at stake, bargaining efforts have by been hindered by a labor movement dogged by infighting.

News & Media

The New York Times

By "been there" I mean struggling.

News & Media

Huffington Post

More importantly, a personal administered questionnaire might have caused difficulty in maintaining anonymity and it might have influenced the patients to give more positive answers than they really meant just by been handed the questionnaire by the specialist and care-provider.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Passers-by are helpful.

News & Media

The Economist

Passers-by were invited in.

News & Media

The New York Times

But some passers-by were less enthusiastic.

News & Media

The New York Times

Passers-by were caught up as well.

News & Media

The New York Times

"And drive-bys are the fad this year".

News & Media

Forbes

By being friendly".

News & Media

The New Yorker

A. By being persistent.

News & Media

The New York Times

SC: By being optimistic.

News & Media

Independent
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing how something is accomplished, use "by being" followed by a gerund (e.g., "The problem was solved by being proactive.")

Common error

Using "by been" is grammatically incorrect. The correct structure is "by being" followed by a verb in its -ing form. For example, instead of "fixed by been thorough", use "fixed by being thorough".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

2.1/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by been" is grammatically incorrect and does not function as a standard phrase in English. It seems to be an erroneous combination, where "by" should be followed by a gerund ("being") rather than the past participle "been". This assessment aligns with Ludwig AI's analysis of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "by been" is a grammatical error in English. The correct form is "by being", followed by a gerund, to indicate how something is accomplished. As Ludwig AI pointed out, the phrase is not usable in written English. While some examples may appear in various sources, this reflects errors rather than accepted usage. Therefore, it's essential to use "by being" or alternative phrases like "through being" to maintain grammatical correctness and clarity in writing.

FAQs

What is the correct grammatical structure to use instead of "by been"?

The correct structure is "by being" followed by a gerund (verb ending in -ing). For example, "The issue was resolved "by being diligent"" is grammatically correct.

When is it appropriate to use "by being" in a sentence?

Use "by being" when you want to explain how something is achieved or influenced through a specific action or state. For example, "Success is achieved "by being persistent"".

Are there alternative phrases to "by being" that I can use?

Yes, you can use alternatives like "through being", "by means of being", or "by virtue of being" depending on the context. These alternatives provide similar meanings while maintaining grammatical correctness.

How does using "by being" change the meaning of a sentence compared to other prepositions?

Using "by being" specifies the method or manner in which something is accomplished. Other prepositions might focus on different aspects, such as the cause (because of), the location (at), or the time (during). Using "by being" emphasizes the process.

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Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

2.1/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: