have been becoming

USAGE SUMMARY

This phrase can be used in written English.
It is a present perfect continuous tense, which is used to describe an action or state that began in the past and continues into the present. Example sentence: "We have been becoming more aware of environmental issues over the past few years."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Cubans have been becoming bolder since Raúl Castro took over.

The New York Times

In recent years adaptive designs have been becoming popular in the context of clinical trials.

Statistical Methodology

We may have been becoming better cyclists, but lordy we were dull.

The Guardian - Travel

In the interim, residents here have been becoming Russian in waves, with encouragement of the de facto state.

The New York Times

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates have been becoming primary structures in the aerospace industry because of their high specific strength and stiffness.

Composites Part B: Engineering

Floor isolation systems have been becoming increasingly popular as a protective measure for critical structural contents such as computer servers or museum artifacts.

Engineering Structures

That is, jobs that require a college education have been becoming more prevalent as a proportion of employment for years now.

The New Yorker

In Britain, "zero hours" contracts, in which neither employer nor employee commits to a fixed number of hours, have been becoming more common.

The Economist

Saima Rashid 11th grader at John Dewey High School In my school, large classes have been becoming an issue that demands attention.

The New York Times

This is not Mr. Hockney's problem alone; designers and directors have been becoming the stars of their own productions for quite some time.

The New York Times - Arts

His four-hundred rupee salary for the first month was all given to his father, but only through his mother because it would not have been becoming for the father to outright accept it himself.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been becoming" to describe ongoing changes or developments that started in the past and continue to the present. This tense emphasizes the duration and progression of the change.

Common error

Avoid using "have been becoming" when describing a completed action or a state that no longer exists. Use a past tense or present perfect tense instead if the action is finished.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been becoming" functions as a present perfect continuous verb phrase. Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically sound, describing an action or state that began in the past and continues into the present. Examples show its role in describing ongoing processes and gradual changes.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Academia

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "have been becoming" is a versatile present perfect continuous construction used to describe ongoing changes. Ludwig AI states it's a grammatically correct form, indicating an action that started in the past and continues into the present. As evidenced by numerous examples, it is very common across diverse domains such as science, news, and formal business contexts. While grammatically sound, it's essential to use it appropriately by avoiding it for completed actions. Alternatives like "have progressively become" or "are increasingly resembling" can provide nuanced variations, enriching your writing. Using "have been becoming" accurately ensures clarity and precision in conveying gradual developments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have progressively become

Replaces "been becoming" with "progressively become", emphasizing a continuous and steady evolution.

have gradually evolved into

Substitutes "been becoming" with "gradually evolved into", highlighting a transformation over time.

have increasingly transformed into

Uses "increasingly transformed into" instead of "been becoming", stressing an ongoing change.

have steadily grown into

Employs "steadily grown into" to replace "been becoming", focusing on consistent development.

have turned more and more into

Replaces "been becoming" with "turned more and more into", indicating a progressive shift.

are increasingly resembling

Changes the structure to "are increasingly resembling", focusing on the present progressive aspect of the change.

have been developing into

Uses "have been developing into" instead of "have been becoming", emphasizing the process of development.

are in the process of becoming

Shifts the emphasis to the process using "are in the process of becoming", highlighting the ongoing nature of the change.

have morphed into

Replaces "been becoming" with "morphed into", suggesting a significant transformation.

are starting to resemble

Changes the tense and emphasizes the start of a resemblance.

FAQs

How can I use "have been becoming" in a sentence?

Use "have been becoming" to describe a continuous process of change. For example, "The climate patterns "have been becoming" more unpredictable in recent years".

What are some alternatives to saying "have been becoming"?

You can use alternatives like "have progressively become", "have gradually evolved into", or "are increasingly resembling" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "has been becoming" instead of "have been becoming"?

"Has been becoming" is used with singular subjects, while "have been becoming" is used with plural subjects or the pronoun "I", "you", "we", or "they". For example, "He "has been becoming" more proficient", but "They "have been becoming" more proficient".

What's the difference between "have been becoming" and "are becoming"?

"Have been becoming" indicates a process that started in the past and continues to the present, emphasizing duration. "Are becoming" indicates a process that is currently happening. For example, "The days "have been becoming" shorter since autumn started" versus "The days "are becoming" shorter now".