has been continuing

USAGE SUMMARY

"has been continuing" is an acceptable phrase to use in written English.
You can use it to refer to a situation or activity that has been happening for a certain period of time. For example: "The company's success story has been continuing for over fifty years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

One case, involving Mauritius, has been continuing since 2004.

The Guardian

As a result, there has been continuing interest in engineered systems that can augment cooling.

Nuclear Engineering and Design

In recent years there has been continuing interest in the potential hazards from detonations in pipelines.

Process Safety and Environmental Protection

Fighting has been continuing since, and reinforcements are arriving every day in Mali.

The Guardian - Opinion

Holocaust has been continuing in Palestine over the past 60 years".

The New York Times

That's now down to about 2.9% [of people with a disability] and has been continuing to fall since 1996.

The Guardian

The Tibet air shower array has been continuing the observation of the shadow that cosmic rays make in the direction of the sun or the moon since 1991.

Advances in Space Research

In recent years, there has been continuing interest in the participation of university research groups in space technology studies by means of their own microsatellites.

Acta Astronautica

Research on dye molecules has been continuing to be at the forefront of new developments in chemistry owing to their versatile functional properties associated with p-conjugation.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Blazer wore a wiretap at the London 2012 Olympics and, although seriously ill, has been continuing to help the FBI with its investigation.

The Guardian - Sport

The Palestinian people's struggle for freedom has been continuing for almost a century.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been continuing" to emphasize the ongoing nature of an action or state that has persisted for a noticeable period, especially when highlighting its duration or uninterrupted progress.

Common error

Avoid using "has been continuing" when a simple present tense form like "continues" would be more concise and appropriate. Overusing the progressive aspect can make your writing sound unnecessarily wordy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been continuing" functions as a present perfect progressive verb phrase, indicating an action or state that began in the past and is still in progress at the present time. This usage is supported by Ludwig AI, which confirms its acceptability in written English and provides numerous examples across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

45%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has been continuing" is a grammatically correct and frequently used present perfect progressive verb phrase. According to Ludwig, it's suitable for describing actions or states that began in the past and are still ongoing. It is most commonly found in news and media and scientific contexts, with a neutral register. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately conveys the duration and uninterrupted nature of the action you are describing, and avoid overuse when a simpler present tense form would suffice. Consider alternatives such as "has continued" or "is ongoing" for conciseness when appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has continued

Omits the 'been' for a slightly more concise phrasing while retaining the core meaning of an ongoing action.

continues to be

Rephrases the action using a different verb structure, emphasizing the present state of continuation.

has persisted

Replaces "continuing" with a synonym emphasizing the duration and resistance to change of the action.

is ongoing

Simplifies the phrase to a more direct adjective describing the current state of the action.

has remained

Shifts the focus to the state of something staying the same over time, similar to continuing.

has proceeded

Focuses on the action's forward movement and progression, rather than just its continuation.

has advanced

Highlights the progressive nature of the action implying forward movement and development.

has unfolded

Emphasizes the gradual revelation or development of events over time.

has stretched

Stresses the duration of the action suggesting it has extended over a considerable time.

has unfolded over time

Explicitly adds a temporal dimension, emphasizing how the action has developed or revealed itself gradually.

FAQs

How to use "has been continuing" in a sentence?

Use "has been continuing" to describe an action or situation that started in the past and is still in progress. For example, "The research project "has been continuing" for five years".

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

You can use alternatives like "has continued", "continues to be", or "is ongoing" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "has been continuing" or "has continued"?

Both ""has been continuing"" and "has continued" are grammatically correct, but "has been continuing" emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action more strongly.

What's the difference between "has been continuing" and "is continuing"?

"Has been continuing" implies the action started in the past and is still ongoing to the present, while "is continuing" focuses more on the present moment of the ongoing action. The first stresses a longer duration.