have only been

USAGE SUMMARY

'have only been' is a correct phrase that can be used in written English.
It is used to indicate that something has happened recently but not for very long. For example, "I have only been living in this city for a few months."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I have only been in public service".

The New York Times

Those moves have only been half successful.

The New York Times

"These issues have only been getting worse".

The New York Times

"There have only been great failures".

The Guardian - Books

His ratings have only been fair.

The New York Times

"I have only been questioned once".

The New York Times

The convolution models have only been lightly tested.

Harvard University

Interventional bronchoscopic procedures have only been reported anecdotally.

Chest

There have only been two episodes so far.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Unfilled circles are reports that have only been partially verified.

The New York Times

The Owens have only been living separate lives since 2015.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "have only been", ensure the context clearly indicates a recent or limited duration. This helps avoid ambiguity and strengthens the intended meaning of the sentence.

Common error

Avoid using "have only been" when referring to events that started in the distant past, even if they continue to the present. This phrase emphasizes recency, so older events require different phrasing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have only been" functions as an auxiliary verb phrase indicating a limited duration or recent occurrence of an action or state. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase signals that something has not been happening for a long time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

30%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "have only been" is a versatile phrase used to indicate a recent start or limited duration of an action or state. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and widely used, making it suitable for various contexts ranging from news reports to scientific articles. When writing, ensure you use it when you need to highlight recency or limitation. While "have only been" is frequently used across media and science, remember that "have just been" and "have recently been" offer nuanced alternatives for specific situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have just been

Indicates an action that has occurred very recently, emphasizing immediacy more than "have only been".

have newly been

Highlights the newness of a state or condition, stressing the novelty rather than the limitation implied by "have only been".

have recently been

Highlights the recency of an event, placing more emphasis on the 'recent' aspect compared to "have only been".

have merely been

Emphasizes the limited or insignificant nature of something, adding a nuance of belittlement not present in "have only been".

have scarcely been

Suggests something has barely occurred or existed, implying a shorter duration or lesser extent than "have only been".

have barely been

Conveys the idea that something has occurred to a minimal degree or for a short period.

have seldom been

Indicates infrequent occurrence, focusing on the lack of frequency rather than the duration implied by "have only been".

have solely been

Highlights exclusivity, meaning something is limited to one thing only, which is a different focus compared to the duration in "have only been".

have exclusively been

Similar to 'solely', this emphasizes that something has been limited to a particular instance or purpose.

have uniquely been

Highlights the distinctiveness or singularity of something; it implies something is one-of-a-kind, unlike the focus on duration in "have only been".

FAQs

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

Use "have only been" to indicate something started recently and hasn't been happening for very long. For example, "I "have only been working" here for a month."

What are some alternatives to "have only been"?

You can use phrases like "have just been", "have recently been", or "have merely been" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

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

Yes, use "has only been" with singular subjects (e.g., "He has only been", "She has only been", "It has only been") and "have only been" with plural subjects (e.g., "They have only been", "We have only been", "I have only been", "You have only been").

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

"Have only been" refers to the present perfect tense, indicating something that started recently and continues to the present or has a present relevance. "Had only been" refers to the past perfect tense, indicating something that occurred before a specific point in the past.