have been seen

USAGE SUMMARY

'have been seen' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is in its simple past perfect tense, which is used when describing something that happened before a certain point in time in the past. For example: The rare species of bird had not been seen in the area for many years, but recently they have been seen again.

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The margins have been 17, 20 and 17 points.

The New York Times - Sports

The last four seasons his rates have been 58, 57.8, 58.4 and 57.5.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In this streak, the margins have been 7, 3, 3, 2 and 3 points.

The New York Times - Sports

Thereafter the winning scores have been 302, 340 and 248 respectively.

The Guardian

I must have been 12, 13, and it was a bit too big for me.

The Guardian - Business

This year there have been 13, 10 of which are unsolved.

The New York Times

I would have been 25, 26 when I first saw it.

The Guardian - Film

Additionally, several mechanisms of active genome demethylation have been proposed21, 22.

Nature

"I thought it might have been 15, 20 wells" that went dry, said Johnson.

The Guardian

Several fungal species in brain tissue of AD patients have been identified9, 46.

Nature

His scores thus far in the series have been: 94, 53, 118, 55, 5, 65 and now 59 not out.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been seen" to indicate that something has been observed or noticed at some point in the past and that the observation is relevant to the current context. For example: 'These effects "have been seen" in previous studies.'

Common error

Avoid using "have been seen" when a simple past tense ("were seen") is more appropriate if the observation occurred at a specific point in the past with no direct relevance to the present. The sentence 'They "were seen" entering the building yesterday' is better than 'They "have been seen" entering the building yesterday' if yesterday is the only relevant time.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been seen" functions as the present perfect passive voice of the verb "see". This grammatical structure is used to indicate that someone or something has been observed or noticed at some point prior to the present moment. Ludwig provides a wide range of examples demonstrating this usage.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Academia

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Encyclopedias

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Wiki

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "have been seen" is a grammatically sound phrase functioning as the present perfect passive. Despite the absence of specific examples in the provided data, Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and typical use in describing past observations with present relevance. This phrase is suited for neutral register and can be replaced by ""have been observed"", "have been noticed", or "have been identified" depending on the specific context. Remember to use the correct tense and consider the ongoing relevance when using this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been observed

Focuses specifically on the act of observation, often in a scientific or formal context.

have been noticed

Highlights the act of something coming to someone's attention.

have been detected

Emphasizes the discovery of something, often through technical means.

have been found

Indicates the location or discovery of something.

have been identified

Specifically implies that something has been recognized or categorized.

have been spotted

Suggests a brief or casual observation.

have been witnessed

Implies a direct experience of seeing something, often an event.

have appeared

Focuses on the emergence or manifestation of something.

have surfaced

Indicates that something has come to light or become known.

have emerged

Similar to 'appeared' but suggests a gradual or developmental process.

FAQs

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

Use "have been seen" to describe something that has been observed or noticed, linking a past event to a present context. For example: 'Similar results "have been observed" in other trials.'

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

"Have been seen" indicates a past action with continued relevance or impact to the present, while "were seen" simply refers to a past event. "They "were seen" at the park" is a statement of fact, while "They "have been seen" associating with known criminals" suggests ongoing concern.

What are some alternatives to "have been seen"?

Depending on the context, consider alternatives such as ""have been observed"", "have been noticed", or "have been identified".

Is it correct to say "has been seen" instead of "have been seen"?

Yes, "has been seen" is correct when referring to a singular subject. "Have been seen" is used for plural subjects or with "I", "you", "we", and "they". Example: 'The bird "has been seen"', versus 'The birds "have been seen"'.