have been late

USAGE SUMMARY

"have been late" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you want to describe something that happened in the past and has continued up to the present time. For example, "I have been late to work a lot lately."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

He might so easily have been late.

Independent

They don't seem to have been late Christian inventions.

The Economist

His businesses have been late filing accounts in previous years.

Independent

And even then I have been late once or twice.

The Guardian - Money

"Foreign investors have been late to the market".

The New York Times

But they may have been late by some nine months.

The New York Times

I would have been late for my bridge game".

The New Yorker

(Our wages have been late sometimes and people have been laid off).

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

But since then, there have been late-season collapses and increasingly poor play.

The New York Times - Sports

Rye bread and fruit cake have been late-blooming pleasures, whereas coconut and dates have comforted me since my first pair of underpants.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

There have been late-breaking suggestions that the adorable "Juno" will triumph, but it is a little slight to go home with all the marbles, no?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "have been late", ensure the context clearly indicates what or who was late and the reason for the lateness if relevant. For example, "The delivery trucks have been late due to the heavy traffic."

Common error

Avoid using "have been late" when a simple past tense like "was late" is more appropriate for a single, completed event in the past. For instance, instead of "I have been late yesterday", use "I was late yesterday".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been late" functions as a verb phrase indicating a state of being tardy or behind schedule, spanning from a past point to the present. Ludwig AI confirms this with numerous examples across varied sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Formal & Business

12%

Science

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been late" is a versatile and commonly used verb phrase to describe a state of tardiness or delay that extends from the past to the present. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears frequently in various contexts, from news reports to scientific publications. While grammatically straightforward, be mindful of selecting the correct tense to avoid common errors, and remember that alternative phrases can offer subtle shifts in meaning and register. When using "have been late", be precise about what or who was late and the circumstances surrounding the lateness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

came late

Uses a more succinct and direct phrasing to indicate lateness.

were not on time

Emphasizes the failure to meet the expected time.

were delayed

Focuses on the delay aspect, suggesting an impediment caused the lateness.

were running behind

Focuses on the ongoing state of being late or delayed.

were tardy

Replaces "have been late" with a more formal synonym, "tardy", indicating a deviation in register.

were unpunctual

Offers a more formal alternative to "late", highlighting a lack of punctuality.

arrived behind schedule

Emphasizes arriving after the planned time.

were overdue

Indicates that something was late beyond the expected or scheduled time.

missed the deadline

Highlights the failure to meet a specific deadline or cutoff time.

fell behind

Suggests a gradual process of becoming late or lagging behind.

FAQs

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

Use "have been late" to describe a state of being late that started in the past and continues to the present, or has relevance to the present. For example, "I "have been late" to work several times this month."

What's the difference between "have been late" and "was late"?

"Have been late" implies a duration or repeated occurrence, while "was late" refers to a single instance in the past. "I "have been late"" suggests a pattern, whereas "I "was late"" refers to a specific event.

Which is correct, "I have been late" or "I am late"?

Both are correct, but they have different meanings. "I "have been late"" refers to past instances of lateness, whereas "I "I am late"" describes your current state of being behind schedule.

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

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "I "was tardy"", "I "was delayed"", or "I "arrived behind schedule"".