has been making

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been making" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to talk about something that has been in progress over a period of time. You can use it when referring to an action that has recently been happening and has been continuing into the present. Example: Anna has been making dinner for the past hour.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Everyone has been making suggestions.

The New York Times - Food

He has been making them ever since.

The New Yorker

She has been making it ever since.

The New York Times

Lord Mandelson, too, has been making hay.

Independent

BERLIN — Berndes has been making saucepans since 1921.

The New York Times

(Even the White House has been making beer).

The New York Times

The Pres. has been making astonishing demands.

The New Yorker

— has been making them since 1936.

The New York Times - Style

Only the fire has been making noise.

The New Yorker

Green Room has been making people sick.

The Guardian - Film

But he has been making changes lately.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been making" to describe ongoing activities or processes that started in the past and continue into the present. It emphasizes the duration of the action.

Common error

Avoid using "has been making" when referring to a completed action in the past. Use the past perfect tense ("had made") instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been making" functions as a present perfect continuous verb phrase. It indicates an action that began in the past, continues into the present, and may continue into the future. According to Ludwig, the phrase is used to talk about something that has been in progress over a period of time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has been making" is a present perfect continuous verb phrase that indicates an action that started in the past and continues into the present. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English, particularly to describe ongoing processes. Predominantly found in News & Media sources, it carries a neutral register and is considered a very common phrase. When using this phrase, ensure correct tense usage and consider alternative expressions like "has been creating" or "has been producing" for nuanced meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been creating

Replaces "making" with "creating", emphasizing the act of bringing something into existence.

has been producing

Substitutes "making" with "producing", highlighting the generation or manufacturing of something.

has been developing

Replaces "making" with "developing", suggesting a gradual process of growth or improvement.

has been building

Substitutes "making" with "building", emphasizing the construction or assembly of something.

has been generating

Replaces "making" with "generating", focusing on the production or origination of something.

has been preparing

Substitutes "making" with "preparing", emphasizing the act of getting something ready.

has been undertaking

Replaces "making" with "undertaking", focusing on the act of taking on a task or project.

has been performing

Substitutes "making" with "performing", focusing on the execution of a task or activity.

has been conducting

Replaces "making" with "conducting", highlighting the management or direction of something.

has been enacting

Substitutes "making" with "enacting", focusing on the implementation or performance of something.

FAQs

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

Use "has been making" to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing. For example, "She has been making progress on her project."

What are some alternatives to "has been making"?

You can use alternatives such as "has been creating", "has been producing", or "has been developing" depending on the context.

Is "has been make" grammatically correct instead of "has been making"?

No, "has been make" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "has been making", which uses the present participle (making) after the auxiliary verbs "has" and "been".

What's the difference between "has been making" and "had been making"?

"Has been making" describes an action that started in the past and continues to the present, while "had been making" describes an action that was in progress before another point in the past.