has been trying

USAGE SUMMARY

'has been trying' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing an ongoing action that began in the past and continues up to the present moment. Example: She has been trying to find a job for months now.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The weekend has been trying for Griffin.

The New York Times - Sports

Management says it has been trying.

The New York Times

It has been trying ever since.

The New Yorker

Staying on Lexington Street has been trying.

The New York Times

She has been trying to quit.

The New York Times

"Everyone has been trying to solve this.

The New York Times

Adele has been trying to reach you.

The Guardian - Music

My mind has been trying to grapple with this.

Cornell University

Pavlik has been trying to recover ever since.

The New Yorker

Christie has been trying to salvage his Presidential prospects.

The New Yorker

Timbaland has been trying to rap for years.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been trying" to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing. For example, "The company "has been trying" to improve its customer service for the last quarter."

Common error

Avoid using "has been trying" when referring to a completed action. Instead, use "tried". For example, instead of "He "has been trying" to fix the car yesterday", say "He tried to fix the car yesterday".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been trying" functions as a present perfect continuous verb phrase, indicating an action that began in the past and is still in progress or has relevance to the present. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating this ongoing nature.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has been trying" is a versatile present perfect continuous verb phrase used to describe actions that began in the past and continue into the present. It is grammatically correct and widely used across diverse contexts, particularly in news and media. According to Ludwig, its primary function is to express ongoing effort and persistence. While alternatives like "has been attempting" exist, "has been trying" maintains a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication. It's crucial to differentiate its use from the simple past tense "tried", which indicates a completed action. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's correctness and usability in written English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been attempting

Uses a more formal synonym for 'trying', emphasizing the act of making an effort.

has been endeavoring

Emphasizes a serious and determined effort.

has sought to

Focuses on the intention or aim behind the effort.

has worked to

Highlights the active involvement and effort put into achieving something.

has strived to

Implies a persistent and often difficult effort.

has aimed to

Focuses on the goal or target of the effort.

has made an effort to

Explicitly states that an effort was made.

has taken steps to

Emphasizes specific actions taken to achieve a goal.

has set out to

Implies a deliberate and planned attempt.

has been in the process of

Focuses on the ongoing nature of the effort, often implying a longer duration.

FAQs

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

Use "has been trying" to describe an ongoing action that started in the past and continues to the present. For example, "She "has been trying" to learn Spanish for six months."

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

You can use alternatives like "has been attempting", "has been endeavoring", or "has sought to" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "has been trying" and "tried"?

"Has been trying" indicates an ongoing effort, while "tried" indicates a completed action. "She "has been trying" to reach him all day" means she is still trying. "She tried to reach him" means she attempted to reach him, but it's over now.

Which is correct, "has been trying" or "had been trying"?

"Has been trying" is used for actions that started in the past and continue to the present. "Had been trying" is used for actions that were ongoing in the past but have since stopped. For example, "She "has been trying" to get a promotion" (and is still trying), versus "She had been trying to get a promotion before she left the company" (but no longer is).