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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
has originally been
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "has originally been" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as "originally" suggests a past state, making the present perfect tense awkward. Example: "The concept has originally been introduced in the 19th century."
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
Alternative expressions(4)
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
60 human-written examples
The original data has been modified at Tampere University of Technology and University of Jyväskylä to fit for data mining tasks; for example, age has originally 94 categories (age in years 5,...,98), and here they are connected to only 7 categories.
Science
While SLPv2 has originally used only one IPv4 multicast address to communicate with SAs, the modification specified by [8] has enabled SLPv2 to discover services over IPv6.
In Jim Wells county (in the Valley), the count of Precinct 13 had originally been 765 for Johnson; someone changed the 7 to a 9 & later reported 965.
News & Media
The Mindanao Examiner reported that the kidnappers had originally demanded 50m pesos (£734,000).
News & Media
By the end of 1948, his army, which had originally numbered 100,000, had grown to 800,000, and he had captured all of Manchuria.
Encyclopedias
We had originally included 241 patients into the TCS study after approaching 283 possible candidates (see patients flowchart) in the period September 2006 until September 2008.
Science
It had originally invested £383,000, but the exit means its return was £1.086 million, or a 2.84x for the fund and its co-invested Angels.
News & Media
The sculpture had originally cost £2m and Manchester city council sued Heatherwick's studio and three sub-contractors, who paid £1.7m in an out-of-court settlement.
News & Media
It had originally said 85 firms were affected.
News & Media
The company had originally earmarked £5 billion ($7.1 billion) for the technology.
News & Media
The city had originally scheduled 158 properties for the auction, but two were recently with drawn.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Prefer using "was originally" or "had originally been" to clearly indicate a past state or condition. This avoids grammatical awkwardness and ensures clarity in your writing.
Common error
Avoid using "has originally been" as it mixes present perfect tense with an adverb that implies a completed past action. Choose a simple past tense construction instead.
Source & Trust
79%
Authority and reliability
2.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "has originally been" functions as part of a verb phrase aiming to describe a past state or condition. However, Ludwig AI indicates this construction is grammatically questionable. The intended function is to indicate that something was different in the past.
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Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, the phrase "has originally been" is grammatically questionable and not considered correct in standard written English, according to Ludwig. It attempts to describe a past state or condition but awkwardly combines the present perfect tense with an adverb implying a completed action. Better alternatives include "was originally" or "had originally been". When writing, ensure clarity and grammatical correctness by avoiding this phrase and opting for simpler past tense constructions instead.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
was originally
Replaces the present perfect construction with the simple past, indicating a past state without implying continuation to the present.
had originally been
Uses the past perfect to emphasize that the original state occurred before another point in the past.
originally was
Rearranges the sentence to place "originally" before the verb, slightly altering the emphasis.
was at first
Emphasizes the initial state or condition using a different adverbial phrase.
began as
Focuses on the starting point or initial form of something.
started out as
Similar to "began as", highlighting the initial condition or purpose.
used to be
Indicates a past state that is no longer true, using a modal verb.
had its origin as
Emphasizes the origin or source of something in the past.
in its original form
Focuses on the initial shape or structure of something.
was conceived as
Highlights the initial idea or plan behind something.
FAQs
What is the correct way to say something was a certain way in the past?
Use "was originally" or "had originally been" to clearly indicate a past state. For example, instead of "the plan has originally been for 500 people", say "the plan was originally for 500 people" or "the plan "had originally been" for 500 people".
Is "has originally been" grammatically correct?
According to Ludwig, the phrase "has originally been" is not considered correct in standard written English. The word "originally" typically refers to a past state, making the present perfect tense awkward. It's better to use "was originally" or ""had originally been"".
When should I use "was originally" instead of "has originally been"?
"Was originally" should be used to describe a past state or condition that is no longer the case. "Has originally been" is generally considered incorrect. For example, "the house was originally built in 1920" is correct, while "the house has originally been built in 1920" is not.
What are some alternatives to "has originally been" that I can use in my writing?
You can use alternatives like "was initially", "started out as", "began as", or "used to be" depending on the specific context you want to convey. These options avoid the grammatical issue with "has originally been".
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
79%
Authority and reliability
2.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested