have previously been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have previously been" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to indicate that something has already happened in the past. For example: "The results of the survey have previously been reported in the weekly newsletter."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Limiting cases have previously been considered.

Electrochimica Acta

Only 39/157 patients have previously been clinically described.

Stanford University

A number of suggestions have previously been advanced.

The Guardian - Opinion

There have previously been similar tensions on Corsica.

The Guardian

Other individuals have previously been wrongly outed as Nakamoto.

The Guardian - Tech

These links have previously been reported by the Guardian.

The Guardian

All three have previously been defense counsels in tribunal cases.

The New York Times

All the other tracks have previously been released.

The Guardian - Music

MDSCs have previously been reported to promote tumor growth11.

Nature

that have previously been impregnated with other products.

Construction and Building Materials

Interventional study designs, which have previously been reviewed, were excluded.

Appetite

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have previously been" to clearly indicate that an action or state occurred before the current context to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "have previously been" when a simple past tense would suffice. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily verbose. Consider if "were" or "was" would be more concise and appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have previously been" functions as part of the passive voice in the present perfect tense. It's used to indicate that an action was completed at some unspecified time before the present. Ludwig confirms this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

28%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "have previously been" is a grammatically correct and frequently used construction to indicate that something occurred before the present moment. According to Ludwig, it functions within the passive voice of the present perfect tense, serving to provide context or background information while emphasizing that the action is not new. Predominantly found in scientific, news, and academic sources, its register ranges from neutral to formal. When you need to convey that something has occurred before, consider incorporating "have previously been" to establish a clear timeline and provide relevant context. Keep in mind there are other ways to convey that something has occurred before, such as "were formerly".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been previously

Reorders the original phrase for a slight difference in emphasis.

has been before

Emphasizes the existence of a prior instance or occurrence.

had been earlier

Highlights an earlier point in time when something was true.

had occurred before

Focuses on the event itself and its prior occurrence.

were formerly

Focuses on a past state or role, implying a change.

was once

Indicates a past condition or identity that no longer exists.

has already happened

Directly states that an event has taken place before the present.

was antecedently

Emphasizes a logical or causal relationship from a prior state.

had erstwhile

Implies a previous state or role that is now in the past.

has been hitherto

Suggests a situation that existed up until the present moment.

FAQs

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

Use "have previously been" to indicate that something has already occurred or existed before the present time. For example, "The data "have previously been" analyzed using a different method".

What are some alternatives to "have previously been"?

Some alternatives include "were formerly", "had been earlier", or "has been before" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "have previously been" and "had been"?

"Have previously been" is used when referring to something that occurred before the present, while "had been" is used when referring to something that occurred before a specific point in the past. For example, "They "have previously been" tested" vs. "They had been tested before the new regulations were introduced".

When is it appropriate to use "have previously been" instead of a simpler tense?

Use "have previously been" when you want to emphasize that something occurred at an earlier, unspecified time and is relevant to the current situation. A simpler tense like "were" or "was" might be sufficient if the timing is less important.