have been maintaining

USAGE SUMMARY

"have been maintaining" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is a present perfect continuous verb form, indicating an action that started in the past and is still ongoing in the present. It is used to talk about a continuous action or state that began in the past and is still happening. Example: "I have been maintaining a healthy diet for the past three months." This means that the speaker started maintaining a healthy diet three months ago and is still doing so. Another example: "The company has been maintaining a strong presence in the market for several years." This means that the company started maintaining a strong presence in the market in the past and continues to do so in the present. "Have been maintaining" can also be used in a negative form, such as "I have not been maintaining good communication with my family." This means that the speaker has not been keeping up with regular communication with their family.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

We have been maintaining two blogs, InfoBrief and Competitive Edge.

Cornell University

I started it in high school and have been maintaining it ever since.

Stanford University

"I'm sure she will have been maintaining her professionalism in training".

The New York Times - Sports

Despite the bad economy, he said, "our numbers have been maintaining or growing".

The New York Times

I still wonder if the white males have been maintaining their even-handedness through some kind of secret pact.

The New York Times

"We have been maintaining the proper course and the next two years will be basically the same," he said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

Records have been maintained since 1871.

The Washington Post

Records of releases have been maintained on this website since March 2016.

University of California, Berkeley

Profits have been maintained, after increased investment in marketing.

The Guardian - Business

"Rock-solid capital, funding and liquidity have been maintained.

The Guardian - Business

Many aspects of our service have been maintained and some have even improved.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been maintaining" to emphasize the ongoing nature of an action or condition that started in the past and continues into the present. For example: "They have been maintaining a strong relationship with their clients."

Common error

Avoid using simple past tense when the action is still ongoing. Instead of "They maintained the garden", use "They "have been maintaining" the garden" to highlight the continuous nature of the activity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been maintaining" functions as a verb phrase in the present perfect continuous tense. This indicates an action that began in the past and is still in progress. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

24%

Science

18%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "have been maintaining" is a present perfect continuous verb phrase used to describe ongoing actions that started in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. It is frequently found in News & Media, Academic, and Scientific contexts, emphasizing the continuity and persistence of an action. While alternatives such as "have been preserving" or "have been keeping up" exist, "have been maintaining" is a versatile option suitable for both formal and informal writing, provided the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure align with the intended tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been preserving

Focuses on keeping something in its original condition.

have been keeping up

Implies maintaining a certain level or standard.

have been upholding

Emphasizes the act of maintaining principles or laws.

have been sustaining

Highlights the act of providing support to maintain something.

have been continuing to support

Emphasizes ongoing support.

have been taking care of

Focuses on active care and maintenance.

have been looking after

Similar to taking care of, but with a slightly more nurturing tone.

have been administering

Related to the continuous act of overseeing and managing.

have been managing

Implies ongoing control and direction.

have been supervising

Focuses on overseeing operations or activities.

FAQs

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

Use "have been maintaining" to describe an action that started in the past and continues to the present. For example, "The company "have been maintaining" its market share despite increased competition".

What are some alternatives to "have been maintaining"?

You can use alternatives like "have been preserving", "have been keeping up", or "have been sustaining" depending on the context.

Is "have been maintaining" formal or informal?

"Have been maintaining" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. The level of formality depends on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure.

What's the difference between "have been maintaining" and "have maintained"?

"Have been maintaining" emphasizes the continuous nature of the action, while "have maintained" simply indicates that the action was completed at some point in the past and may or may not be ongoing.