have been signed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have been signed" is perfectly correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing documents or other items that need to be signed, for example: "The contracts have been signed, so the deal is now finalized."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Similar deals have been signed without incident.

The New York Times

AMY DAVIDSON: Papers have been signed.

The New Yorker

No leases have been signed so far.

The New York Times

The accession treaties have been signed.

The Economist

But few deals have been signed.

The New York Times

About 70 leases have been signed.

The New York Times

But no contracts have been signed.

The New York Times

It should not have been signed off.

The Guardian - Sport

Now around 230 have been signed or proposed.

The Economist

So far, none have been signed with a record company.

The New York Times

What Sino-British deals have been signed recently?

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "have been signed", ensure the context clearly indicates what documents or agreements are being referred to, and by whom. Provide specific details for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "has been signed" when referring to multiple items; always use the plural "have been signed" to maintain subject-verb agreement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been signed" functions as a passive perfect construction, indicating that an action (signing) has been completed at some point in the past and is relevant to the present. This construction shifts the focus from the actor to the recipient of the action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

18%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been signed" is a grammatically correct and very common passive perfect construction used to indicate the completion of a signing process. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use across various contexts, particularly in news, academia, and science. When using the phrase, ensure clarity by specifying what has been signed and by whom, and maintain subject-verb agreement. Be careful with your tense usage. The phrase is generally neutral to professional in register, making it suitable for formal announcements and business communications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were signed

Changes the tense to the past simple, focusing on a specific point in the past when the signing occurred.

have been ratified

Implies a formal approval process following the signing, often used for agreements or treaties.

have been executed

Suggests a formal and legally binding completion of the signing process.

have been agreed upon

Focuses on the mutual agreement aspect leading to the signing.

have been finalized

Emphasizes the completion of the signing process, implying that all details are settled.

have been endorsed

Highlights approval and support for the signed document or agreement.

were formally adopted

Implies a formal and official acceptance of something after the signing.

have come into effect

Indicates that the signed agreement or document is now active and operational.

are now in force

Similar to 'have come into effect', emphasizing the current validity and implementation of the signed agreement.

are now operative

Highlights that the signed documents are now active and being used.

FAQs

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

Use "have been signed" to indicate that documents or agreements have completed the signing process. For example, "The contracts "have been signed", and the project can now proceed."

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

You can use alternatives like "were signed", "have been ratified", or "have been executed depending on the context.

Which is correct, "has been signed" or "have been signed"?

"Have been signed" is correct when referring to plural subjects or in general statements. "Has been signed" is correct only when referring to a singular subject. For example, "The documents "have been signed"," but "The contract "has been signed"."

What is the difference between "were signed" and "have been signed"?

"Were signed" refers to a specific point in the past when the signing occurred, while "have been signed" indicates that the signing process has been completed at some point before the present. For example, "The contracts were signed yesterday," versus "The contracts "have been signed", so we can start the project now."