have been ongoing

USAGE SUMMARY

"have been ongoing" is correct and usable in written English.
It is the present perfect continuous tense and is used to refer to actions that began in the past and have continued up to the present time. Example: Negotiations between the two countries have been ongoing for the past several months.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Davis's struggles have been ongoing.

The New York Times - Sports

Excavations and preservation efforts have been ongoing.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The arrests have been ongoing today".

The New York Times

Settlement talks have been ongoing for much of the year.

The Guardian - Business

There have been ongoing issues for those badly injured by the 7 July 2005 London bombings.

The Guardian

There have been ongoing anxieties over parades, with occasional incidents of violence.

The Guardian

Blackburn and the player's agent have revealed that discussions have been ongoing between the two parties.

The Guardian - Sport

20 – the number of years global climate negotiations have been ongoing.

The Guardian

Obviously our dealings with Cardiff have been ongoing for a while now".

The Guardian - Sport

The problems have been ongoing for days, with service temporarily being restored before breaking again.

Independent

Romney's evasions of traditional disclosure have been ongoing and almost insolent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been ongoing" to describe processes, discussions, investigations, or situations that started in the past and are still happening now. This emphasizes continuity.

Common error

Don't use "have been ongoing" to describe actions that have already concluded. The phrase indicates an action that is still in progress; use past tenses instead to refer to finished actions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been ongoing" functions as a verb phrase in the present perfect continuous tense. It describes an action or situation that started in the past and continues into the present. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is grammatically correct and commonly employed.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

26%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been ongoing" is a grammatically sound and widely used expression in the present perfect continuous tense. As noted by Ludwig AI, it effectively describes actions or situations that began in the past and are still in progress, as showcased by numerous examples across various contexts. Predominantly found in news and media and scientific writing, the expression maintains a neutral tone suitable for many writing needs. To ensure correct usage, remember that this expression denotes unfinished, continuing actions and must not be used for actions already completed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been underway

Replaces "ongoing" with "underway", indicating that something is in progress.

have been in progress

Emphasizes the state of being actively worked on or developed.

have been continuing

Focuses on the uninterrupted nature of the action.

have persisted

Highlights the endurance or resilience of a situation or activity.

have been sustained

Suggests that something has been maintained at a certain level or intensity.

have been maintained

Implies that something has been kept in its current state without interruption.

have endured

Highlights the fact that something has lasted for a long time, often despite difficulties.

have been proceeding

Indicates that something is moving forward, typically in a structured manner.

have unfolded

Suggests a gradual revealing or development of events.

have transpired

Implies that events have occurred or taken place over a period of time.

FAQs

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

Use "have been ongoing" to describe activities or processes that started in the past and are still continuing. For example, "Negotiations "have been ongoing" for months."

What are some alternatives to saying "have been ongoing"?

You can use alternatives like "have been underway", "have been in progress", or "have continued" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "are ongoing" instead of "have been ongoing"?

While "are ongoing" can be correct, ""have been ongoing"" specifically emphasizes that the process started in the past and is still continuing to the present. "Are ongoing" may imply a more recent or current state without the same emphasis on past initiation.

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

"Have been ongoing" refers to something that started in the past and continues to the present. "Were ongoing" refers to something that was happening in the past but may or may not be happening now.