have been failing

USAGE SUMMARY

'have been failing' is a valid and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it when describing how someone has been doing something in a consistent and continuing way in the past. For example, "Many students have been failing their exams due to lack of sufficient preparation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

They have been failing.

The Economist

I have been failing all my life.

The Guardian

Some schools have been failing for 10 years.

The New York Times

The Galaxy have been failing for some time, though.

The Guardian - Sport

But, in fact, we have been failing at it, and the consequences could be serious indeed.

The New York Times

Patience may have been failing to bring Lisa and our daughter home from Florida.

The New York Times

"Some of these schools have been failing for 12 years under three different governors," he said.

The New York Times

Our poll also indicated that some of the principal arguments against remedial efforts have been failing to take hold.

The New York Times

The generals overseeing the necessarily messy transition have been failing to keep up the momentum of change.

The Economist

Beyond Mr. Liu's impolitic complaining, legal experts say, his biggest mistake may have been failing to carefully protect his technology.

The New York Times

"For too long, juvenile justice services in Connecticut have been failing our children," Mrs. Rell said in a statement.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To add nuance, specify the degree or type of failure. For example, "have been consistently failing" or "have been failing to meet expectations".

Common error

Avoid using "have been failing" without specifying what is failing. Providing context enhances the statement's impact and prevents ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been failing" functions as a present perfect continuous tense, indicating an action or state that began in the past and has continued up to the present. Ludwig AI affirms its validity, and its usage demonstrates an ongoing process of not succeeding.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "have been failing" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe a continuous lack of success. Ludwig AI confirms its validity for conveying ongoing unsuccessful actions or declining states. Predominantly found in News & Media, this phrase serves to highlight prolonged periods of underperformance. For clear and impactful writing, it's crucial to specify what is failing and the timeframe involved. Alternatives like "have been unsuccessful" or "have been declining" can provide nuanced meanings, but "have been failing" effectively communicates an ongoing state of not meeting expectations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been unsuccessful

Focuses more directly on the lack of achieving desired outcomes, rather than the process of failing.

have been declining

Emphasizes a downward trend or deterioration over time.

have been deteriorating

Implies a more severe degradation or worsening condition.

have not succeeded

A more general statement indicating a lack of accomplishment.

have been underperforming

Specifically refers to not meeting expected performance levels.

have been floundering

Suggests struggling or moving clumsily and ineffectively.

have been unproductive

Highlights a lack of output or results.

have been deficient

Focuses on lacking necessary qualities or elements.

have been inadequate

Implies not being sufficient or good enough for a particular purpose.

have been falling short

Indicates a failure to reach a required standard or target.

FAQs

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

You can use "have been failing" to describe a continuous state of not succeeding. For example, "The project's goals "have been failing" due to poor management".

What's the difference between "have been failing" and "have failed"?

"Have been failing" indicates a continuous process over time, while "have failed" implies a completed action. "The team "have been failing" to meet targets this quarter" suggests ongoing issues, whereas "The team "have failed" to meet the target" indicates a specific unsuccessful outcome.

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

You can use alternatives like "have been unsuccessful", "have been declining", or "have been underperforming" depending on the specific context.

Is "have been failing at" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. You can say, "They "have been failing" at their attempts to improve the system".