have been in progress

USAGE SUMMARY

"have been in progress" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express that something is continuing or has been occurring over a period of time. For example: "The construction project has been in progress for five months."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

Some have been in progress for months.

The Washington Post

You get the painful sense of a life that should still have been in progress.

The Guardian - Books

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office faces others, some of which have been in progress for years.

The New York Times

Improvements in model handling of drainage have been in progress for the 2014 version of Adapt-N.

Cornell University

The operas will be staged at the company's home, the David H. Koch Theater, where renovations have been in progress.

The New York Times - Arts

Talks between Hamilton and Mercedes have been in progress, loosely, since last year, but have been intense since January.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

I think that law was a progression of punitiveness that has been in progress since the early 1990s.

Vice

The project has been in progress since November 2013, and currently operates in Tunisia and Jordan.

Yale University

The game had been in progress over two hours, and the players had made sixteen moves.

The New Yorker

It is understood that the BHA's investigation has been in progress since 2004.

The Guardian - Sport

But of course, the transition has been in progress for months.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "have been in progress" to indicate that an activity, project, or discussion has been ongoing for some time and is still continuing. For example, "Negotiations "have been in progress" for months."

Common error

Avoid using "is in progress" when referring to something that started in the past and continues to the present. Use ""have been in progress"" to correctly indicate the ongoing nature of the activity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been in progress" functions as a present perfect continuous verb phrase. It indicates an action or process that started in the past and is still continuing up to the present moment. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

32%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been in progress" is a grammatically correct and frequently used present perfect continuous verb phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it is suitable for describing actions or processes that began in the past and are still ongoing. It appears across various contexts, including news, science, and academic writing, and maintains a neutral register. The phrase is effective for communicating that something is underway and is still continuing, offering a clear indication of its state.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been underway

Replaces "in progress" with a synonym emphasizing the active state of the process.

have been ongoing

Emphasizes the continuous nature of the process without a specified endpoint.

have been advancing

Focuses on the forward movement and development of the process.

have been developing

Highlights the evolution and growth of the process over time.

have been proceeding

Implies a structured and planned advancement of the process.

have been advancing steadily

Emphasizes the continuous and gradual movement.

have been taking place

Focuses on the occurrence or happening of the process, rather than its state.

have been unfolding

Suggests a gradual revelation or discovery of the process's details.

have been brewing

Suggests that the matter is gradually and secretly being developed.

have been germinating

Suggests that the matter is gradually and organically being developed.

FAQs

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

Use "have been in progress" to describe an action or project that started in the past and is still ongoing. For example: "The renovations "have been in progress" since January."

What are some alternatives to saying "have been in progress"?

You can use alternatives like "have been underway", "have been ongoing", or "have been developing" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "has been in progress"?

Yes, it is correct if you are referring to a singular subject. For example, "The investigation "has been in progress" since last year."

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

"Have been in progress" indicates an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present. "Were in progress" indicates that the action was ongoing in the past but may or may not be continuing now. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the present relevance of the activity.