has been purchasing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been purchasing" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate an ongoing action that started in the past and continues into the present, often in contexts related to buying or acquiring goods or services. Example: "The company has been purchasing new equipment to improve its production efficiency."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Clinton has been purchasing Democratic votes one by one.

The New York Times

Lenny Kravitz has been purchasing some Basquiat stuff.

The New York Times - Style

Hovnanian has been purchasing land at distressed prices in an attempt to increase profit margins.

The New York Times

Traders say the bank has been purchasing Greek, Irish and Portuguese bonds.

The New York Times

This nation has been purchasing a million dollars worth of Bingo sets every year, a good -two-thirds ofrom from him.

The New Yorker

Since 2003, China's central bank has been purchasing huge amounts of dollars to keep the value of its currency, the renminbi, artificially low against the dollar.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

It has been purchased more than 350,000 times.

The New York Times - Magazine

The company — whose name and business we are never told — has been purchased by "the Californians".

The New York Times - Books

American Basketball Association LONG BEACH JAM -- Announced the team has been purchased by Jonathon Hernandez and Thomas Gillespie.

The New York Times

that say, "A mosquito net has been purchased in your name".

The New York Times

It has been purchased by Libba Evans, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, and her husband, Jim Lambie, a lawyer.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been purchasing" to describe an ongoing or repeated action of buying something over a period, especially when emphasizing the duration or consistency of the activity. It works well in both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "has been purchasing" when referring to a single, completed purchase. Use "has purchased" instead to indicate a finished action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been purchasing" functions as a present perfect progressive verb phrase. This grammatical structure indicates an action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has recently ceased. As Ludwig AI illustrates, this is frequently used in contexts such as continuous acquisition of assets or repeated transactions.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has been purchasing" is a present perfect progressive verb phrase indicating an action of buying that started in the past and continues into the present. According to Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Usage patterns reveal its prevalence in "news & media", "formal & business", and "science" domains. While alternatives like "has been acquiring" and "has been buying" exist, "has been purchasing" is most effective when emphasizing the ongoing or repeated nature of the buying process. Remember to avoid using this phrase for single, completed transactions; ""has purchased"" is more appropriate in those cases. Source quality is high, confirming the phrase's authoritative use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been acquiring

Replaces "purchasing" with "acquiring", which broadens the scope to include non-monetary acquisitions.

has been buying

A more direct and informal synonym for "purchasing".

has been obtaining

Similar to acquiring but emphasizes the effort or process of getting something.

has been securing

Suggests a more deliberate and strategic acquisition.

has been investing in

Highlights the financial aspect and implies a long-term benefit.

has been procuring

A more formal term for "purchasing", often used in business or official contexts.

has been stocking up on

Implies accumulating a supply of something.

has been picking up

Suggests buying casually or opportunistically.

has been taking on

Implies assuming responsibilities.

has been collecting

Highlights a gradual accumulation, often of items of interest.

FAQs

What is the difference between "has been purchasing" and "has purchased"?

"Has been purchasing" indicates an ongoing or repeated action that started in the past and continues to the present. "Has purchased" indicates a completed action in the past that is now finished. For example, "The company "has been purchasing" new equipment all year" versus "The company "has purchased" a new machine last week".

What can I say instead of "has been purchasing" to sound more formal?

You can use more formal alternatives like "has been acquiring" or "has been procuring", depending on the context. These options often suit business or official communications.

Is it correct to use "has been purchasing" for a one-time event?

No, "has been purchasing" implies a continuous or repeated action. For a single, completed purchase, use ""has purchased"" instead.

How do I use "has been purchasing" correctly in a sentence?

Use "has been purchasing" to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing. For example: "The central bank "has been purchasing" $85 billion a month in Treasury bonds" to keep economy afloat.