has been contacting

USAGE SUMMARY

"has been contacting" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express ongoing action in the past, usually for an extended period of time. For example: He has been contacting me every day for the last month.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

36 human-written examples

In response, the company has been contacting subscribers.

The New York Times

The arts council has been contacting government officials about potential display spaces for the restored landscape.

The New York Times - Arts

(Metadata describes basic information on who has been contacting whom, without detailing the content).

The Guardian

The museum has been contacting the artists and their descendants and inviting them to the show.

The New York Times - Arts

Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, has been contacting permanent secretaries at Whitehall departments telling them to prepare for an election.

The Times

Where the families live outside the city, the New York Police Department has been contacting local police to make the notification in person.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

Amazon has been contacted for comment.

Independent

Apple has been contacted for comment.

Independent

Father McCarthy has been contacted for comment.

Independent

His campaign has been contacted for comment.

The Guardian

Carter-Ruck has been contacted for comment.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been contacting" to describe an ongoing process of communication over a period of time. This implies multiple attempts or a sustained effort to reach someone.

Common error

Avoid using "has been contacting" when you mean a single instance of contact. Use "contacted" for a completed action in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been contacting" functions as a present perfect progressive verb phrase, indicating an action that started in the past and continues into the present. Ludwig AI confirms this usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

96%

Science

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has been contacting" is a grammatically sound phrase, commonly used in news and media to indicate an ongoing effort to communicate with someone. Ludwig AI confirms this. The phrase serves to inform about continuous outreach, maintaining a neutral register suitable for various audiences. Alternatives like "has been reaching out to" and "has been in touch with" offer similar meanings, but it's important to use the phrase accurately to reflect the continuous nature of the action. Be sure to avoid using this phrase when a simple past tense like "contacted" is more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been reaching out to

Emphasizes the act of initiating communication with someone.

has been getting in touch with

Focuses on the action of establishing communication.

has communicated with

Highlights the exchange of information.

has been in communication with

Suggests an ongoing exchange of information.

has been speaking with

Highlights the act of verbal communication.

has corresponded with

Focuses on written communication.

has been consulting with

Implies seeking advice or information.

has notified

Highlights informing someone of something.

has alerted

Implies warning or informing someone of danger.

has advised

Focuses on giving guidance or recommendations.

FAQs

How do I use "has been contacting" in a sentence?

Use "has been contacting" to describe an ongoing action of reaching out to someone over a period, for example, "The company "has been contacting" subscribers regarding the service changes".

What can I say instead of "has been contacting"?

You can use alternatives like "has been reaching out to", "has been in touch with", or "has communicated with" depending on the context.

What is the difference between "has been contacting" and "contacted"?

"Has been contacting" implies a continuous or repeated action, while "contacted" indicates a completed action in the past. For example, "He "contacted" me yesterday" versus "He "has been contacting" me every day this week".

When should I use "has been contacting" instead of "is contacting"?

"Has been contacting" refers to actions that started in the past and continue to the present, while "is contacting" refers to an action happening now. For example, "The police "has been contacting" witnesses" suggests the outreach started earlier, versus "The police "is contacting" witnesses" which emphasizes the current activity.