has not been working

USAGE SUMMARY

"has not been working" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to indicate that something has not been functioning properly or to describe an action that has not been taking place. Example: My computer has not been working since I tried to update the software.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

Her excuse was that she has not been working there long, and was born in 1994.

Independent

He has not been working illegally, nor claiming benefits or housing.

The Guardian

That has not been working so well the past three years, as snowfalls have exceeded averages.

The New York Times

After all, America's economic model has not been working for most Americans.

The Guardian - Business

He left the ball with sound judgment and eschewed the pull shot which has not been working so well lately.

The Guardian - Sport

They are quickly waking up to the fact that the bonus system studied by Mr. Ariely has not been working.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

The menu has not been worked out.

The New York Times

Pricing for SortBox has not been worked out, but it will be a freemium-based service.

TechCrunch

MT 48 has not been worked on since.

Wikipedia

And it certainly hasn't been working.

The Guardian - Sport

He added: "Austerity hasn't been working.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a persistent issue, use "has not been working" to clearly communicate that something isn't functioning as intended over a period of time.

Common error

Avoid using simple past tense ("did not work") when you want to emphasize the ongoing nature of the problem. "Has not been working" implies the issue started in the past and continues to the present.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has not been working" functions as a verb phrase indicating a state of non-performance or malfunction that began in the past and continues to the present. As Ludwig AI points out, this grammatical structure signals an ongoing issue. This is seen in examples like 'The economic model has not been working well'.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

12%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

8%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has not been working" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe something that isn't functioning correctly or producing the desired results over a period. As Ludwig AI states, it indicates that something has been failing to function correctly over a period of time. It’s often used in news, media, and business contexts to express ineffectiveness or malfunction, and you can often replace it with phrases like "is not functioning" or "is not effective" depending on the nuances you want to convey. Remember, "has not been working" implies an ongoing issue, differentiating it from the simple past "did not work".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is not functioning

Focuses on the mechanical or operational aspect of not working.

is not effective

Highlights the lack of desired results or impact.

is failing to produce results

Emphasizes the absence of expected outcomes.

is not yielding success

Focuses on the lack of positive results or accomplishments.

is not proving fruitful

Implies a lack of positive outcomes or benefits.

is inoperative

Describes a state of being out of service or non-functional.

is out of order

Indicates a temporary or permanent state of malfunction.

isn't up to par

Suggests a failure to meet the expected standard or quality.

is not measuring up

Implies a failure to meet expectations or requirements.

is underperforming

Highlights a performance that is below the expected level.

FAQs

What does "has not been working" mean?

The phrase "has not been working" indicates that something or someone has been unable to function correctly or produce the desired results over a period of time. It implies a continuing state of ineffectiveness or malfunction.

What can I say instead of "has not been working"?

You can use alternatives like "is not functioning", "is not effective", or "is failing to produce results" depending on the context.

How do I use "has not been working" in a sentence?

Use "has not been working" to describe something that has been failing to function correctly over a period of time. For example: "The printer has not been working since yesterday."

Is "has not worked" the same as "has not been working"?

While similar, "has not worked" often implies a completed action that didn't succeed, whereas "has not been working" suggests an ongoing issue or a continuous failure to function properly.