had been existing

USAGE SUMMARY

'had been existing' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that was in existence before a particular point in the past. For example: "The city has had a library since 1845, but the school had been existing since 1701."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

As some had been existing on the exiguous salaries paid by opposition parties to their advisers, this led to some obvious inequities.

The Economist

When I saw her run toward me with the look of a girl who had been existing on nothing but a diet of sun and fun for three and a half weeks my worries evaporated.

The New York Times - Travel

The collapsing of the Twin Towers on 9/11 gave many people - including, I feel, Saturday's protagonist Perowne - their first glimpse of another kind of world that had been existing alongside ours for some time.

The Guardian - Books

The day Mr. Bradley ended the campaign, Mrs. Sibley, who is 42, looked surprisingly alert for someone who had been existing on five hours of sleep a night and who had just been in San Francisco days earlier, riding a trolley and using a bullhorn to tell people to vote for Mr. Bradley.

The New York Times

It was a little after 5 30 PM on a weekday in July, and Rushdie had been existing the past few months in that nether realm between finishing a book and having it published.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The prime minister said: "They have been existing for thousands of years, they've been facing all these natural disasters.

The Guardian

But for the last month, the New York City Sierra Club has had no leadership, and has been existing in a legal limbo.

The New York Times

"Unfortunately, we know that laws alone cannot change practices that have been existing since time immemorial, especially if it involves a religious belief".

The Guardian

Defender Gabor Gyepes, who, like his team-mates, has been existing on a monthly contract, must decide whether to move his young family over from Hungary, or move on.

Independent

"Political turmoil has been existing in Bangladesh over the last decade," she said, while adding, "Of course, they should make it clear to the government that bloodily suppressing street demonstrations should stop immediately".

The New York Times

The data sources have been existing fusion facilities (JET, TFTR, DIII-D, TLK, etc).

Fusion Engineering and Design

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been existing" to emphasize the duration of something's existence prior to a specific event or time in the past. This helps to establish a clear timeline for your reader.

Common error

Avoid using "had been existing" when the simple past perfect ("had existed") suffices. The continuous form implies a duration or ongoing state, which might not always be necessary or accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been existing" functions as a past perfect continuous verb phrase, indicating an action or state that was in progress before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI explains, it describes something in a state of existence before another time marker.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been existing" is a grammatically correct past perfect continuous verb phrase used to describe something that was in a state of existence before a specific point in the past. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is usable in written English and is a correct way to express past continuous existence. While relatively uncommon, it's suitable for neutral to slightly formal contexts, particularly in News & Media and Science, as identified by Ludwig's analysis of usage patterns. When emphasizing duration, consider using "had been existing"; otherwise, the simpler "had existed" might suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been in existence

More formal and emphasizes the state of existing.

had existed

Simpler past perfect form, lacking the continuous aspect.

had been around

More informal, suggesting presence or availability.

had been present

Emphasizes physical or abstract presence.

had been living

Implies active existence or a way of life.

had been continuing

Focuses on the continuation of something over time.

had been ongoing

Similar to continuing, but often implies a process or activity.

had prevailed

Suggests triumph or dominance over a period.

had persisted

Implies resistance or endurance over time.

had endured

Stronger than persisted, suggesting suffering or hardship.

FAQs

How can I use "had been existing" in a sentence?

Use "had been existing" to describe something that was in a state of existence before a specific point in the past. For example, "The ancient civilization "had been existing" for centuries before its sudden collapse".

What's the difference between "had been existing" and "had existed"?

"Had been existing" emphasizes the duration or continuous nature of the existence, while "had existed" simply states that something was in existence. Think of ""had been existing"" as the past perfect continuous form and "had existed" as the past perfect simple.

Is "had been existing" formal or informal?

"Had been existing" is generally considered neutral to slightly formal, suitable for various contexts, especially when emphasizing duration. Consider alternatives like "had been around" for more informal settings.

What are some alternatives to "had been existing"?

You can use alternatives like "had been in existence", "had persisted", or "had endured" depending on the nuance you want to convey. Each emphasizes a slightly different aspect of continued existence.