had been floating

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been floating" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe an action that was ongoing in the past before another action occurred, often in a narrative context. Example: "The idea had been floating around for weeks before the team finally decided to implement it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

News of Mr. Manzoni's appointment had been floating around since last September.

The New York Times

Marinell had a guitar figure, which had been floating around unused for some months.

Independent

The new journal grew out of general disaffection that had been floating around the discipline for years.

Harvard University

"The concept had been floating out there since then," said Mr. Spencer.

The New York Times

And rumors of The Puzzler's demise had been floating around puzzle blogs all week.

The New York Times

The women had been floating for about 20 hours, holding on to a blue cooler for buoyancy.

The New York Times

I had been floating alone in the black Pacific, hundreds of yards offshore, looking up at that same Milky Way.

The New York Times

By the time that team arrived, the man had been floating in the pond for 37 minutes.

The Economist

The idea had been floating around on message boards for a couple years before I started posting them.

The New Yorker

It had been floating in the Gulf of Finland for a couple of weeks, and was not a pretty sight.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Rumors of the Rodney Brooks-led startup had been floating around the robotics industry for some time now, but that doesn't make the closure any less impactful.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been floating" to describe a situation or idea that existed or was under consideration for a period before a specific event or decision.

Common error

Avoid using "had been floating" when describing a current or future state. This tense specifies an action completed before another point in the past. For ongoing actions, the present perfect continuous tense (e.g., "has been floating") may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been floating" functions as a past perfect continuous verb phrase. It describes an action that was ongoing for a period of time before another action or point in the past. Ludwig provides many examples showing how it sets up a background scenario or prolonged state.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

14%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been floating" is a versatile past perfect continuous verb phrase commonly used to describe an action that continued for a period of time before another point in the past. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use across various contexts, particularly in News & Media, Academia, and Science. It effectively sets the stage by providing background information and emphasizing the duration of a past event. While various alternatives such as "had been drifting" or "had been circulating" exist, "had been floating" often best conveys the sense of continuous, undirected movement or existence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been drifting

Highlights a gradual shift or movement without a specific destination during a period.

had been adrift

Emphasizes aimlessness or lack of direction over a period.

had remained afloat

Stresses the ability to stay on the surface or avoid sinking for a duration.

had been circulating

Focuses on the spread of something, like rumors or ideas, over time.

had been hovering

Suggests remaining in one place, usually in the air, for some time.

had been lingering

Implies a slow disappearance or fading over a duration.

had been considered

Emphasizes the process of thinking about something over a period of time.

had been under consideration

Focuses more specifically on the evaluation or assessment process.

had been present

Highlights the state of being in a particular place or condition during a certain duration.

had been talked about

Focuses on the communication and discussion of a certain matter during a specific period.

FAQs

How is "had been floating" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had been floating" indicates a continuous action in the past, completed before another action. For example, "The idea "had been floating" around the office for weeks before it was implemented."

What are some alternatives to "had been floating"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "had been circulating", "had been drifting", or "had been lingering".

Is it correct to say "has been floating" instead of "had been floating"?

The correct tense depends on the context. "Has been floating" implies an action that started in the past and continues to the present, while "had been floating" describes an action completed before another point in the past. For instance, "The boat has been floating for hours" vs. "The boat "had been floating" for hours before it was rescued."

What's the difference between "had been floating" and "was floating"?

"Was floating" describes an action in progress at a specific time in the past. "Had been floating" describes an action that was in progress before another point in time. Example: "He was floating in the pool" versus "He "had been floating" in the pool for an hour before he realized he was late."