have approved

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have approved" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action of approval has been completed in the present perfect tense, often in contexts involving decisions or agreements. Example: "The committee has approved the new policy changes after thorough discussion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

She would have approved.

The Economist

(Liberace would have approved).

The New York Times

Casati would have approved.

Independent

Would Nixon have approved?

The Economist

Lincoln would have approved.

Independent

Would Cage have approved?

The New York Times - Arts

Hemingway might have approved.

The Economist

Would the designer have approved?

The New York Times

Annika Sorenstam would have approved.

Independent

Would Mr. Wang have approved?

The New York Times

Mrs. Spry would have approved.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have approved" when you want to emphasize that a decision or action has received formal or official consent. For example, "The board members "have approved" the budget for the next fiscal year."

Common error

Avoid using "have approved" when the context requires a different tense. For example, don't say "They have approved the project yesterday"; instead, use "They approved the project yesterday."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have approved" primarily functions as a verb phrase in the present perfect tense. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates that an action of approval has been completed, often in contexts involving decisions or agreements. It shows that something has been officially accepted or authorized.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have approved" is a grammatically correct and common verb phrase used to indicate that something has been officially accepted or authorized. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in various contexts. It is most frequently found in news and media sources and formal business settings, with a neutral to professional register. When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with the intended tense and subject-verb agreement. Alternatives such as "have authorized" or "have endorsed" can be used depending on the specific context. Pay attention to using the correct tense and subject-verb agreement to avoid common errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have authorized

This alternative emphasizes the formal permission or sanctioning aspect.

have sanctioned

This alternative suggests a more official or authoritative approval.

have ratified

This alternative implies a formal confirmation or validation.

have endorsed

This alternative focuses on public support or recommendation.

have validated

This alternative highlights the confirmation of accuracy or legitimacy.

have okayed

This alternative is a more informal way to express approval.

have given the go-ahead

This alternative idiomatically signifies permission to proceed.

have assented to

This alternative suggests a formal agreement or consent.

have signed off on

This alternative implies a formal acceptance or completion of a process.

have given consent

This alternative focuses on the act of granting permission.

FAQs

How to use "have approved" in a sentence?

The phrase "have approved" is used to indicate that something has been officially accepted or authorized. For example: "The committee members "have approved" the new regulations."

What can I say instead of "have approved"?

You can use alternatives like "have authorized", "have endorsed", or "have sanctioned" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "have approved" or "has approved"?

"Have approved" is used with plural subjects (e.g., "They "have approved" the plan"), while "has approved" is used with singular subjects (e.g., "He "has approved" the request").

What's the difference between "have approved" and "approved"?

"Have approved" is in the present perfect tense, indicating a completed action with present relevance (e.g., "The authorities "have approved" the construction, so we can start building now"). "Approved" is in the simple past tense, indicating a completed action in the past (e.g., "The authorities approved the construction last week").