have been works

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have been works" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely intended to convey a sense of ongoing action or existence, but the structure is grammatically incorrect. Example: "The projects have been works in progress for several months."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

More recently, they have been works of art.

The New Yorker

These may have been works overseen by inexperienced friars who took advantage of the wood-carving skills of indigenous artists.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In Britain there have been works by, among others, Tansy Davies, Kaaija Saariaho, Judith Weir and Olga Neuwirth.

The Guardian - Music

I feel very comfortable in the theatre and my most brilliant experiences of art have been works that I've seen in the theatre.

The Economist

The unforgettable performances of Runnicles' past seven years with the BBCSSO have been works positioned directly on either side: Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, Berg's Wozzeck.

The Guardian - Music

The most effective renderings of the 60's have been works of "new journalism," like Tom Wolfe's "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" and Norman Mailer's "Armies of the Night," that explore, with aesthetic and philosophical sophistication, dissolving boundaries between experience and performance, reality and image, reporting and mythmaking.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Or, they may have been working me".

The New York Times

"We have been working on this awhile.

The New York Times - Tech

Whom could they have been working for?

The New Yorker

"We have been working on doing that.

The New York Times

They have been working out well.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to creative or intellectual outputs, use more specific nouns like "projects", "studies", or "efforts" instead of the general term "works" with "have been" to improve clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "works" directly after "have been" to describe ongoing activities; this structure is grammatically incorrect. Instead, use "work" as a continuous verb (e.g., "have been working") or restructure the sentence to use a more suitable noun (e.g., "have been projects").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been works" functions as a verb phrase followed by a plural noun, but it does not form a grammatically correct structure in standard English. As Ludwig AI indicates, the structure is incorrect and should be rephrased.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

10%

Reference

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been works" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's advisable to use alternative phrasing such as "have been projects", "have been efforts", or restructuring the sentence for better clarity. While examples of its usage can be found across different sources, including News & Media and Science, its incorrect structure makes it unsuitable for formal contexts. Opting for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives will enhance the clarity and credibility of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been projects

Substitutes "works" with "projects", implying a planned undertaking.

have been tasks

Replaces "works" with a more specific noun, altering the general meaning slightly.

have been initiatives

Replaces "works" with "initiatives", implying a start or introduction of something.

have been efforts

Replaces "works" with "efforts", focusing on the exertion of energy.

comprise works

Replaces verb to "comprise" suggesting that something is made up of works

constitute works

Changes the verb to "constitute" to better fit the intended meaning, focusing on what forms works.

have produced works

Changes the verb to "produced" highlighting that something has been created

have created works

Replaces the original phrase with a more appropriate term highlighting the element of creation

have resulted in works

Adds "resulted in" to highlight the outcome.

have completed works

The inclusion of "completed" indicates finishing the works.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "have been works"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "have been projects", "have been studies", or "have been efforts" to convey a similar meaning with better grammatical correctness.

Is it correct to say "have been works"?

No, the phrase "have been works" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to rephrase it using more appropriate nouns or verbs to accurately convey your intended meaning.

How can I use "have been working" correctly in a sentence?

You can use "have been working" to describe an ongoing activity or effort, for example, "They "have been working on the project" for months."

What is the difference between "have been works" and "have been working"?

"Have been works" is grammatically incorrect, while "have been working" is a correct verb phrase indicating continuous action. For example, "They "have been working on it"" is correct.