have been supporting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have been supporting" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate ongoing support or assistance that started in the past and continues to the present. Example: "We have been supporting the local community through various initiatives for the past five years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

"They have been supporting me a lot.

The Guardian - Sport

Those guys have been supporting us.

The New York Times - Sports

We have been supporting a variety of projects.

University of California, Berkeley

Our website lists all the projects we have been supporting.

University of California, Berkeley

"Our monetary policies have been supporting growth," he said.

The New York Times

Other unions have been supporting the Stop & Shop workers.

The Guardian

"Both Rwanda and Uganda have been supporting M23," it states.

The Guardian

"I have been supporting them for almost 18 years.

Independent

I have been supporting War Child since 1995.

Independent

Some have been supporting Mr. Romney's campaign for six years.

The New York Times

Right from the beginning, the Chinese have been supporting Pakistan against India.

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been supporting" to emphasize the continuous nature of the support provided over a period. For example, "The organization have been supporting local artists for over a decade" highlights the long-term commitment.

Common error

Avoid using "have been supporting" when referring to a single, completed action in the past. Instead, use the past simple tense. For example, instead of "They have been supporting the team last year", use "They supported the team last year".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been supporting" functions as a present perfect progressive (or continuous) verb phrase. This grammatical form indicates an action that started in the past and is still ongoing in the present. Ludwig's examples show how this phrase is used to describe continued assistance or advocacy.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Academia

22%

Formal & Business

11%

Less common in

Science

11%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been supporting" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase indicating continuous support from the past to the present. Ludwig AI's analysis confirms its prevalence across various domains, particularly in news media and academic contexts. To enhance writing, use this phrase to highlight ongoing assistance or endorsement while ensuring correct tense usage. If you want alternatives, consider phrases like "have been aiding" or "have been backing" for similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been aiding

Replaces "supporting" with "aiding", emphasizing the act of providing help or assistance.

have been assisting

Similar to "aiding", but "assisting" suggests a more active role in helping someone.

have been backing

Replaces "supporting" with "backing", indicating endorsement or approval.

have been advocating

Emphasizes the act of publicly supporting or recommending a cause or policy.

have been championing

Suggests active and enthusiastic support for a cause or person.

have been upholding

Implies maintaining or defending something, like a principle or value.

have been sustaining

Focuses on providing ongoing resources or assistance to maintain something.

have been fostering

Indicates nurturing and encouraging growth or development.

have been facilitating

Highlights making a process or activity easier or more likely to happen.

have been promoting

Suggests actively encouraging or popularizing something.

FAQs

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

Use "have been supporting" to describe an action of providing assistance or endorsement that started in the past and continues into the present. For example: "We have been supporting the initiative since its inception".

What are some alternatives to "have been supporting"?

You can use alternatives like "have been aiding", "have been assisting", or "have been backing" depending on the context.

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

No, the correct form depends on the subject. Use "has been supporting" with singular subjects (e.g., "He has been supporting") and "have been supporting" with plural subjects (e.g., "They have been supporting").

What is the difference between "have been supporting" and "supported"?

"Have been supporting" implies a continuous action from the past to the present, while "supported" refers to a completed action in the past. For example, "They have been supporting the charity for years" indicates ongoing support, whereas "They supported the charity last year" indicates support given in the past.