having always been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "having always been" is grammatically correct in written English.
It is used to express a situation that has been true for a significant amount of time. Example: Having always been an advocate for animal rights, she joined a local animal rights organization.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Having always been identified with triumph by resilience, he became associated with victory by attack.

The Guardian - Sport

Having always been a clothes horse, I offered to take her shopping for new shoes.

The New York Times

Having always been ahead of the curve, d'Arnaud will try to stay there, catching, hitting and, of course, studying.

The New York Times - Sports

A student of history, Mr. DiNapoli admits to having always been a bit of a frustrated author.

The New York Times

But having always been a huge Manchester United fan, the manager he really wants to meet is José Mourinho.

The Guardian - Sport

Having always been a workaholic, she now likes to think of herself, she jokes, as a "recovering actress".

The Guardian - Film

I think people are increasingly coming to see him as having always been ahead of his time.

The Guardian - Film

Having always been a pretty organized person, all my life it had seemed to me that the proper place for anything was basically self-evident.

Columbia University

Having always been hopelessly wobbly on a pair of skates, I decided I would conquer a rink from the lofty vantage of a Zamboni.

The New York Times

Nirvana had, of course, covered the titular song from the album during the sessions, Kurt Cobain having always been a massive Bowie fan.

Independent

Having always been law abiding and doing things by the book, I handed my concerns to the relevant management, but was always told to ignore things.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "having always been" to establish a consistent characteristic or state as a backdrop for a subsequent action or event. This helps create a clear causal or contextual relationship.

Common error

Avoid mismatching tenses when using "having always been". Ensure the main clause reflects the consequence or result of this enduring state in a grammatically consistent tense.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "having always been" functions as a perfect gerund phrase, indicating an action or state completed before the action of the main verb. As seen in Ludwig, it typically introduces a cause or background condition.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "having always been" is a grammatically sound and frequently used perfect gerund phrase that sets the stage for subsequent actions or situations. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, highlighting that it's a versatile tool for establishing background conditions or motivations. It appears most often in news and academic contexts, making it suitable for both neutral and formal writing. To use it effectively, ensure your tenses are consistent and that the main clause logically follows from the enduring state described by the phrase. By mastering the use of "having always been", you can add depth and clarity to your writing, creating stronger connections between ideas.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

consistently being

This emphasizes continuous action or state.

constantly being

Similar to consistently, but suggests an unceasing nature.

invariably being

Highlights the unchanging nature of a condition.

uniformly being

Implies a lack of variation in state.

being perpetually

Focuses on the endless continuation of a state.

forever being

Emphasizes the enduring quality of a condition.

being perpetually

Highlights the unending duration of something.

being someone perpetually

Highlights the unending duration of someone.

in a perpetual state of

This expresses an ongoing state without directly using "been".

remaining consistently

Focuses on the consistent continuation from a past state to the present.

FAQs

How can I use "having always been" in a sentence?

Use "having always been" to describe a condition or characteristic that existed continuously before another action or state. For example, "Having always been interested in science, she pursued a career in research".

What are some alternatives to "having always been"?

You could use phrases like "consistently being", "constantly being", or "invariably being" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "having always been" formal or informal?

"Having always been" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though it appears more frequently in written or more carefully constructed speech.

What's the difference between "having always been" and "being always"?

"Having always been" implies a completed action or state that precedes another event, whereas "being always" is less common and can sound awkward. It's better to opt for "always being" or "consistently being" instead of the later.