have been coming

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'have been coming' is a perfectly valid and correct form of written English, and can be used in multiple contexts.
For example, you could say 'Customers have been coming to the store more often lately.'.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

By jove, orders have been coming in.

The New Yorker

The police have been coming constantly".

The New York Times

But the cutbacks have been coming fast.

The New York Times

Many have been coming for 35 years.

The New York Times - Travel

Lorries entering Beijing have been coming under closer inspection.

The Economist

Random memories of him have been coming to mind.

Independent

Recently, however, Stopfordians have been coming out of the closet.

Independent

The brothers have been coming three times a week.

The New York Times

Look at the numbers that have been coming in.

The Guardian

My customers have been coming here for years".

Independent

Many have been coming every day for years.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been coming" to emphasize the ongoing nature of an action or a trend. For example: "Customers have been coming more frequently since the renovation."

Common error

Avoid using "have been coming" when a simple past tense or present perfect tense is more appropriate. For example, instead of "They have been coming yesterday", use "They came yesterday".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been coming" functions as a present perfect progressive verb phrase. It indicates an action that started in the past and continues to the present. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a correct and common usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been coming" functions as a present perfect progressive verb phrase, indicating an ongoing action or repeated event from the past to the present. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, it conveys continuity and duration. To enhance your writing, use "have been coming" to highlight persistent trends, but be cautious of incorrect tense usage. Consider alternatives like "have been arriving" or "have been attending" for nuanced meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been arriving

Focuses specifically on the act of reaching a destination.

have been attending

Emphasizes regular participation in an event or place.

have been visiting

Highlights the act of going to see a place or person repeatedly.

have been returning

Implies a cyclical pattern of arrival and departure.

have been emerging

Suggests a gradual appearance or development.

have been appearing

Focuses on the act of becoming visible or noticeable over time.

have been flowing in

Indicates a continuous stream or influx of something.

have been pouring in

Suggests a large quantity arriving continuously.

have been flocking

Implies a large group arriving together.

have been surfacing

Indicates that something previously hidden is now becoming known.

FAQs

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

Use "have been coming" to describe a repeated action that started in the past and continues into the present, like "Tourists "have been coming" here for decades."

What's the difference between "have been coming" and "came"?

"Have been coming" indicates an ongoing or repeated action, whereas "came" refers to a single, completed action in the past. For example: "They "came" yesterday" vs. "They "have been coming" every week."

Which is correct: "have been coming" or "has been coming"?

"Have been coming" is used with plural subjects (e.g., "they", "we", "customers"), while "has been coming" is used with singular subjects (e.g., "he", "she", "customer").

What can I say instead of "have been coming"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "have been arriving", "have been attending", or "have been visiting".