have been good

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have been good" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a state or condition that has persisted over a period of time, often in relation to behavior or performance. Example: "The students have been good this semester, showing great improvement in their studies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Times have been good.

The New York Times

Bareikis must have been good at it.

The New Yorker

Crikey, they MUST have been good.

Independent

"And sure, homosexuals have been good priests".

The New York Times

There have been good reasons for this.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He would have been good, too".

The New Yorker

And the Army would have been good.

The New Yorker

People have been good, helpful, calm.

Independent

The changes, he said, have been good.

The New York Times

"We have been good, law-abiding citizens".

Independent

"Crouchy would have been good with Rémy".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "have been good", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being evaluated. For example, "The results have been good" is improved with specificity: "The test results have been good, showing a significant improvement over last year."

Common error

Avoid vague statements like "Things have been good". Instead, specify what aspects are positive. For example, instead of saying "Sales have been good", clarify with "Sales in the last quarter have been good, exceeding expectations by 15%."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been good" functions as a verb phrase, specifically in the present perfect tense. It describes a state or condition that started in the past and continues to the present or has relevance to the present. Ludwig AI confirms its proper grammatical standing.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Science

3%

Social Media

3%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been good" is a versatile and grammatically sound expression used to convey positive evaluations or assessments over time. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and wide applicability. It's most frequently found in News & Media contexts, but also appears in formal and informal settings. To enhance clarity, specify what "have been good" refers to, avoiding vagueness. Alternatives include "have been excellent" or "have been positive", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been excellent

Emphasizes a higher degree of quality or performance compared to 'good'.

have been positive

Indicates a generally optimistic or encouraging state or result.

have been successful

Focuses on achieving a desired result or goal.

have been favorable

Highlights a positive outcome or condition, focusing on the resulting benefit.

have turned out well

Focuses on the positive conclusion or result of a process or event.

have been beneficial

Stresses the advantageous or helpful nature of something.

have fared well

Implies a positive experience or outcome, often in challenging circumstances.

have been promising

Highlights the potential for future success or improvement.

have been satisfactory

Indicates that expectations have been met, implying adequacy rather than exceptional quality.

have been adequate

Suggests a minimal level of acceptability or sufficiency.

FAQs

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

You can use alternatives like "have been excellent", "have been satisfactory", or "have been positive" depending on the context.

How do I use "have been good" in a sentence?

Use "have been good" to describe a situation, performance, or outcome that has been positive over a period of time. For example, "The students' attendance rates have been good this semester."

Which is correct, "have been good" or "have been well"?

Both phrases are correct but have different meanings. "Have been good" describes behavior or performance, while "have been well" refers to health or well-being. For example, "The children have been good all day" versus "The patient has been well since the surgery."

What's the difference between "have been good" and "have been better"?

"Have been good" indicates a satisfactory level, while "have been better" implies that there's room for improvement or that the situation wasn't ideal initially. For example, "The results have been good, but they could have been better with more resources."