has been fooling

USAGE SUMMARY

"has been fooling" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It is used to describe an ongoing action that has been happening for an extended period of time in the past. Example: She has been fooling around with the same group of friends since high school.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

This planet has been fooling us for more than a century.

The Washington Post

"Somebody has been fooling around with these numbers," he said to her. "I don't think so, David.

The New Yorker

Jenny Jones, a Green party London Assembly member, said: "[The government] has been fooling the EC by understating how bad pollution is on many roads.

The Guardian

Although a phoney Bond trailer, called Come and Dive has been fooling fans in recent weeks, the official title and plot details of the next film in the spy franchise have yet to be announced.

Independent

Not the way I needed to," Marty tells the detectives, and there's evidence of that in his violent reaction (in the 2002 timeline) upon discovering his 15-year-old daughter has been fooling around with two college boys.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The telltale sign that Sony has been fooling around with screen technologies is the fact that the screen is jet black when turned off, rather than light gray as on other Palms.

The New York Times - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

All too often — and very obviously in this case — the arbiter has been fooled and the wrong man is penalized.

The New York Times - Sports

The last line, which underscores how profoundly the reader has been fooled, sent a shiver down my spine.

The Guardian - Books

Flintoff has been fooled by a cleverly disguised slower ball from Bravo and has been trapped in front.

The Guardian - Sport

Of course this is too late and the French press has been fooled all the way.

TechCrunch

Although, not everyone has been fooled by what these images purport to show.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "has been fooling", ensure the context clearly indicates an ongoing or repeated act of deception. This helps to emphasize the prolonged nature of the misleading actions.

Common error

Avoid using "has been fooling" to describe a single, isolated incident of deception. This phrase is most effective when highlighting continuous or repeated actions over a period.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been fooling" functions as a verb phrase in the present perfect continuous tense. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. It describes an action of deceiving or tricking that started in the past and is ongoing.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

8%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Science

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has been fooling" serves as a present perfect continuous verb phrase that describes an action of ongoing deception. As Ludwig AI confirms, its grammatical structure is correct, and it's often found in neutral contexts, particularly within news and media. It indicates that someone or something started deceiving in the past, and this deception is continuing into the present. Alternatives include "has been deceiving" and "has been tricking". Remember to use it to highlight continuous or repeated misleading actions and to avoid using it for isolated incidents.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been deceiving

Emphasizes the act of misleading someone intentionally over time.

has been tricking

Focuses on using clever or skillful methods to deceive.

has been misleading

Highlights the act of guiding someone in the wrong direction, either intentionally or unintentionally.

has been conning

Suggests a more elaborate and potentially illegal scheme to deceive.

has been duping

Implies successfully deceiving someone, often through trickery.

has been playing

Indicates manipulating someone for personal gain or amusement.

has been stringing along

Describes leading someone on without any real intention of commitment or honesty.

has been hoodwinking

Focuses on deceiving someone with a false appearance or statement.

has been bluffing

Highlights attempting to deceive someone about one's abilities or intentions.

has been bamboozling

Emphasizes confusing or tricking someone, often with elaborate methods.

FAQs

How can I use "has been fooling" in a sentence?

Use "has been fooling" to describe a continuous action of deceiving. For example: "The company "has been fooling" investors for years."

What's the difference between "has been fooling" and "has fooled"?

"Has been fooling" implies a continuous or repeated action, while "has fooled" suggests a completed action. For example, "He "has been fooling" everyone about his age" indicates an ongoing deception, whereas "He "has fooled" me once" refers to a single instance.

Which is correct, "has been fooling" or "is fooling"?

Both can be correct depending on the context. "Has been fooling" describes an action that started in the past and continues to the present, while "is fooling" describes an action happening now. For example, "She "has been fooling" around all day" vs "She "is fooling" me right now."

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

You can use alternatives like "has been deceiving", "has been tricking", or "has been misleading" depending on the specific context.