have been gone

USAGE SUMMARY

"have been gone" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is in the present perfect tense and it is used to describe something that happened in the past but still has an impact on the present. Example: My friends have been gone for two weeks, and I'm already missing them.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

"He should have been gone".

The New York Times

"The person would have been gone immediately".

The New York Times

And he would have been gone forever".

The New Yorker

"I would have been gone already.

The New York Times - Sports

I started speaking lines that have been gone for months.

The New York Times

Had he hit, Smith would have been gone.

The Guardian - Sport

Those days have been gone for a while.

The New York Times

"In the past, the opportunity would have been gone.

The New York Times - Sports

My darling wife, you have been gone for one year.

The New York Times

My building would have been gone because they're so old".

The New York Times

If there was a flight yesterday, I'd have been gone.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "have been gone", ensure the context clearly indicates the subject's absence and its impact or duration. For example, "They have been gone for a week, and the house feels empty".

Common error

Avoid using "have been gone" when a simple past tense like "left" or "disappeared" is more appropriate. "They have been gone since yesterday" is correct, but "They gone yesterday" is incorrect; it should be "They left yesterday".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been gone" functions as a verb phrase in the present perfect tense, indicating a state of being absent that started in the past and continues to have relevance or impact in the present. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Science

28%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

4%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "have been gone" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase in the English language, as supported by Ludwig's analysis and numerous real-world examples. It functions as a present perfect verb phrase, indicating a past absence with continued relevance. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. Its versatility makes it suitable for various contexts, although it is particularly common in news and media. When using this phrase, be mindful of maintaining tense consistency and ensuring clear context to effectively convey the intended meaning of absence and its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been absent

Highlights the state of not being present.

has disappeared

Focuses on the act of vanishing or becoming unseen.

have vanished

Similar to disappeared, but can also imply a sudden and mysterious disappearance.

had departed

Emphasizes the action of leaving a place.

have been lost

Implies that something or someone is missing and cannot be found.

have moved on

Suggests a transition or progression to a different state or location.

has passed away

A euphemistic way to indicate that someone has died.

have ceased to exist

Indicates the termination of existence, often used in a formal context.

have elapsed

Referring to the passage of time since something occurred.

have expired

Used when referring to something that has reached its end date or validity.

FAQs

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

You can use "have been gone" to indicate a period of absence. For example, "My parents "have been gone" on vacation for a week".

What are some alternatives to "have been gone"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases such as "have been absent", "have departed", or "have disappeared".

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

"Have been gone" is used with plural subjects (e.g., "They "have been gone""), while "has been gone" is used with singular subjects (e.g., "He "has been gone"").

What's the difference between "have been gone" and "were gone"?

"Have been gone" implies a present connection to the past absence, while "were gone" simply states a past condition. For example, "They "have been gone", and I miss them" versus "They "were gone" last week for a conference".