has been seen

USAGE SUMMARY

"has been seen" is a valid and grammatically correct phrase in English.
It is an example of the past perfect tense, used to suggest an action that occurred before some other specified past time. For example: "The suspect has been seen in the area multiple times this week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Cath Kidston has been seen and done".

Independent

Leonardo DiCaprio has been seen with one.

The Washington Post

A disguise has been seen through?

The New Yorker

Skrillex has been seen riding one.

The Guardian

Make sure your face has been seen.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Justin Bieber has been seen riding one.

The Guardian

Traditionally, government has been seen as referee, regulator, and redistributor.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Positive association has been seen between stress and smoking behavior.

Asian Journal of Psychiatry

Elevated expression of Rab25 has been seen in this malignancy.

Pathology

Net erosion has been seen in the lower ni case.

Nuclear Materials and Energy

Perdue has been seen as a top target of Democrats.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been seen" to indicate that something was observed or noticed at some point in the past, often with continuing relevance to the present. For instance, "The effectiveness of the treatment has been seen in multiple clinical trials."

Common error

Avoid using "has been seen" when a simple past tense ("was seen") is more appropriate, especially if the observation occurred at a specific, concluded time in the past with no continuing relevance. For example, prefer "The comet was seen last night" over "The comet has been seen last night" if emphasizing a one-time event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been seen" functions as a passive voice construction of the verb "see", indicating that the subject of the sentence has been the recipient of the action of seeing. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and widespread use in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

37%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has been seen" is a grammatically sound and common construction used to indicate that something has been observed or noticed in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, noting its extensive use across various domains. It's particularly prevalent in news, science, and academic writing. While interchangeable with phrases like "was observed" or "was noticed", "has been seen" emphasizes the ongoing relevance of the observation. When writing, ensure that you use the correct tense, opting for "was seen" when referencing a specific, concluded point in the past.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was observed

Focuses on the act of observing something in the past.

was noticed

Emphasizes that something attracted attention.

has been detected

Suggests the use of instruments or methods to find something.

has been identified

Highlights the recognition or pinpointing of something specific.

was spotted

Implies a quick or casual observation.

was witnessed

Suggests having seen an event or action take place.

has been revealed

Focuses on something previously hidden that is now visible.

came to light

Indicates that something became known or apparent.

has emerged

Suggests something has appeared or become prominent.

has manifested

Implies the appearance of something abstract or conceptual in a concrete way.

FAQs

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

"Has been seen" indicates something observed in the past. For example, "The impact of the policy "has been seen" in the recent economic reports".

What are some alternatives to "has been seen"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "was observed", "was noticed", or "has been detected" as alternatives to "has been seen".

When is it more appropriate to use "was seen" instead of "has been seen"?

"Was seen" is better when referring to a specific point in the past. "Has been seen" is more appropriate when referring to an observation that has occurred at some point before now, with continued relevance.

Is "has being seen" grammatically correct?

No, "has being seen" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""has been seen"", which uses the past participle "seen".