have last been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have last been" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate the most recent occurrence of an action or state up to the present moment. Example: "The documents have last been updated in January, so please check for any new information."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Mr. Nawar is believed to have last been in Montreal in February before returning to Djerba with several other men.

The New York Times

Assume, too, that the shares were bought at their decade's lowest — around 50 euros a share, which could have last been done in 2005.

The New York Times

Nineteen years old, a freshman engineering student at Michigan State University at Grand Rapids, reported missing by his dormitory room-mates in the late afternoon of Monday, March 27th, but said to have last been seen around 2 A.M. Saturday, March 25th, in the parking lot behind the Phi Epsilon fraternity house, on Pitt Avenue.

The New Yorker

Another report emerged on Saturday indicating that MH370 may have turned south towards the Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have last been identified 1,000 miles west of Perth in Australia, according to satellite "pings" that recorded the plane's data, Bloomberg reported.

The Guardian

Cells have last been tested and authenticated by flow-cytometry analysis in 2009.

British Journal of Cancer

Streetpass Data is sent to this point by people who have last been to the Nintendo Zone.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Last summer, five years since Mike had last been to B-Side, he got a text.

Vice

Gui had last been seen in security footage shot outside his flat in Thailand last October.

The Guardian

I asked when buffalo had last been seen there.

The New Yorker

He had last been seen the day before, Oct. 31.

The New York Times

I noticed some changes since I had last been there.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have last been" to clearly indicate the most recent time something occurred or was updated. This helps avoid ambiguity in timelines.

Common error

Avoid using "have last been" when a simple past tense would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound awkward.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have last been" functions as a present perfect passive construction, indicating a state or action that occurred at some point in the past and is relevant to the present. Ludwig AI indicates this phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have last been" is a grammatically correct and usable present perfect passive construction. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, and it is commonly employed to pinpoint the most recent occurrence of an event. While it appears most frequently in news and media sources, its neutral register makes it suitable for a variety of contexts. Consider using alternative phrases like "were last" for conciseness or "had last been" for emphasizing completion before a specific time.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were last

Uses a simpler verb form to indicate a past state or action.

had last been

Emphasizes the completion of the action before another point in time.

was last

Focuses on the individual or object's state at the last known instance.

have previously been

Indicates an action occurred at some earlier, unspecified time.

have recently been

Highlights the action's occurrence in the near past.

have since been

Implies the action happened at a point prior to the present, with an emphasis on the time elapsed.

have last visited

Specifically refers to the act of visiting a place at the most recent occasion.

have last seen

Refers to the most recent act of observing someone or something.

have last shared

Indicates the most recent instance of sharing something.

have just been

Indicates an action occurred very recently.

FAQs

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

You can use "have last been" to indicate when something was most recently done or experienced. For example, "The documents "were last" updated in January, so please check for any new information."

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

Alternatives include "had last been" or "was last", depending on the context and intended meaning.

Is it correct to say "have last been" or should I use "were last"?

Both "have last been" and "were last" are grammatically correct, but "were last" is often more concise and commonly used in many contexts.

What is the difference between "have last been" and "have recently been"?

"Have last been" refers to the single, most recent occurrence, while "have recently been" indicates an action or state that has occurred multiple times in the near past.