have just been

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "have just been" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to an action that has recently taken place. For example: "I have just been to the store to buy some groceries."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

The guys have just been incredible.

The New York Times

The Mets may have just been unlucky.

The New York Times - Sports

Some of them have just been lucky".

The New York Times - Sports

These may have just been lucky picks.

The New York Times - Arts

"Things have just been stagnating".

The New York Times

I have just been told".

The Guardian

The first papers have just been posted.

Stanford University

We have just been fobbed off.

The Guardian - Opinion

He may have just been tired.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

It could have just been a whim.

The New York Times

"England have just been hanging on.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have just been" to indicate a recent event or state that has direct relevance to the present situation. It's best for emphasizing the immediacy of an action or experience.

Common error

Avoid using "have just been" when referring to events that occurred a long time ago. The phrase implies a very recent occurrence, so using it in the context of something from the distant past will be confusing. Instead, use past perfect or simple past tenses to convey the correct timing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have just been" functions as a present perfect continuous tense, indicating an action that has recently been completed or experienced. It's used to emphasize the recency of the action and its relevance to the present moment. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "have just been" is a versatile and grammatically correct phrase used to denote actions or states that have very recently occurred, influencing the present situation. Ludwig AI validates its proper usage. Predominantly found in news and media, it's suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Remember to avoid using it for events distant in the past, and leverage alternatives such as "have recently been" or "have only just been" to fine-tune the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have immediately been

Underscores that something happened without delay.

have only just been

Highlights the short time that has passed since something occurred.

have recently been

Emphasizes the recency of an event or state, similar to "have just been" but slightly less immediate.

have lately been

Indicates that the action or state has been happening recently, but not necessarily in the immediate past.

have quickly been

Stresses the speed at which the action occurred.

have simply been

Indicates that the action was straightforward and without complications.

have now been

Highlights the current state as a result of a recent action.

have merely been

Suggests that the action was minimal or insignificant.

have presently been

Describes an action that is currently in progress or has just finished.

have forthwith been

A more formal way of saying something happened immediately.

FAQs

How do I properly use "have just been" in a sentence?

Use "have just been" to describe an action or state that has very recently concluded and is relevant to the present moment. For example, "I "have just been" to the grocery store" indicates you recently returned from the store.

What are some alternatives to "have just been"?

Alternatives include "have recently been", "have only just been", or "have immediately been" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "have just been" formal or informal?

"Have just been" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, making it a versatile phrase for various writing styles.

What's the difference between "have just been" and "had just been"?

"Have just been" refers to a recent action or state relative to the present, while "had just been" refers to a recent action or state relative to a past point in time. For instance, "I "have just been" to the store" (present), versus "I had just been to the store when you called" (past).