has been working

USAGE SUMMARY

"has been working" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to describe continuous action in the past. For example: "Jim has been working at the same company for 10 years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The strategy has been working.

The New York Times

The EU's pressure has been working.

The Economist

McGuff has been working on it.

The New York Times - Sports

It has been working in some aspects.

Independent

He added: "The treatment has been working.

The New York Times - Sports

He has been working on a memoir.

The New Yorker

"It has been working in the past.

The New York Times - Sports

Frost has been working hard.

The New York Times - Sports

He has been working in two areas.

The New York Times

The government has been working on solutions.

The Guardian - Money

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

That, apparently, has been worked out.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been working" to describe actions that started in the past and are still ongoing, or have recently finished with present relevance. For example: "The team "has been working" tirelessly on this project, and the results are impressive."

Common error

Avoid using "has been working" when describing a completed action in the past that has no present relevance. For completed actions, use the past simple tense. For example, instead of "She has been working on the report last week", say "She worked on the report last week".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been working" functions as a present perfect continuous verb phrase, indicating an action that began in the past and is ongoing or has recently ceased with present relevance. Ludwig examples showcase its use across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Academia

24%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has been working" is a versatile and grammatically sound phrase used to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has recently concluded. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread use across diverse contexts, including news, academia, and science. While alternatives like "has been collaborating" or "has been progressing" exist, "has been working" effectively conveys continuous effort and duration. Remember to avoid using it for completed actions with no present relevance to maintain grammatical accuracy. Therefore, understanding its proper application enhances clarity and precision in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been collaborating

Focuses on cooperative efforts rather than individual work.

has been laboring

Emphasizes the effort and difficulty involved in the work.

has been performing

Highlights the execution of a task or duty.

has been proceeding

Focuses on the continuation or progression of a process.

has been progressing

Similar to 'proceeding' but emphasizes forward movement or improvement.

has been assisting

Highlights the supportive role in the work being done.

has established working

Implies the creation or setting up of a working environment or system.

has been functional

Shifts the focus to the state of being operational or in working order.

has described working

Shifts the focus to the act of describing work, not the work itself.

has ceased working

Indicates the opposite, that work has stopped.

FAQs

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

"Has been working" describes an action that started in the past and continues into the present. For instance, "He "has been working" on this project for six months."

What are some alternatives to "has been working"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "has been collaborating", "has been laboring", or "has been progressing" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "has been work" instead of "has been working"?

No, "has been work" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""has been working"", which uses the present perfect continuous tense.

What's the difference between "has been working" and "has worked"?

"Has been working" implies a continuous action over a period, while "has worked" suggests a completed action or experience. For example, "He "has been working" here since 2010" indicates ongoing employment, whereas "He has worked here" means he has experience at this place.