he's been

USAGE SUMMARY

"he's been" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It is a contraction of "he has been" and is commonly used in present perfect tense sentences to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has just ended. Here is an example: "He's been working on his project for months now, and it's finally almost finished."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He's been underestimated".

The New Yorker

He's been Don Draper.

The Guardian

"He's been playing sensational.

The New York Times - Sports

"He's been rehabbing.

The New York Times - Sports

"He's been wonderful".

The New York Times - Sports

But he's been good.

The New York Times - Sports

"He's been wrestling great.

The New York Times

"He's been evaluated already.

The New York Times - Sports

"He's been very supportive".

The New York Times

He's been very effective.

The New York Times - Magazine

"He's been trained.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he's been" to connect past actions with present situations or states. It effectively conveys the impact of prior events on the current context.

Common error

Avoid using "he's been" when referring to a single, completed action in the past without relevance to the present. Use the simple past tense instead. For example, use "He went to the store" instead of "He's been to the store" if the action is finished and has no present implications.

Linguistic Context

"He's been" serves as an auxiliary verb phrase, typically forming part of the present perfect continuous or passive perfect tenses. As Ludwig AI states, it connects past actions or states to the present. The phrase indicates an action or state that began in the past and either continues into the present or has present relevance, as demonstrated in the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sports

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "he's been" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to connect past actions with present circumstances. As Ludwig AI points out, it's the contracted form of "he has been", primarily functioning within the present perfect continuous or passive perfect tenses. Its prevalence is especially notable in news and media contexts. When writing, consider using "he has been" in formal settings for increased precision and professionalism, and remember to differentiate its application from the simple past tense to avoid confusion. Examples across different sources on Ludwig showcase its versatility in expressing both ongoing and recently completed actions with present-day relevance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he has been

Expands the contraction, making it slightly more formal.

he's become

Focuses on the resulting state of a change or development.

he's gotten

Similar in meaning, but emphasizes the process of becoming something.

he's always been

Emphasizes the consistency of a certain trait or characteristic.

he was

Indicates a state or action completed in the past, without necessarily implying a connection to the present.

he had been

Refers to a state or action completed before another point in the past.

he's proved to be

Emphasizes the demonstration of a particular quality or characteristic over time.

he's turned into

Highlights a transformation or change in state.

he's evolved into

Implies a gradual process of change and development.

he is

Describes the current state, without reference to the past.

FAQs

How do I use "he's been" in a sentence?

Use "he's been" to describe actions or states that started in the past and continue to the present or have a present result. For instance, "He's been working on this project for weeks" implies he started working in the past and is still working now.

What's the difference between "he's been" and "he was"?

"He's been" implies a connection to the present, while "he was" describes a completed action or state in the past without necessarily affecting the present. For example, "He's been sick" suggests he might still be recovering, whereas "he was sick" indicates he is no longer ill.

What can I say instead of "he's been" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, use the full form "he has been". For example, instead of "he's been invited", say "he has been invited".

Is "he's been" grammatically correct?

Yes, "he's been" is grammatically correct. It is a contraction of "he has been" and is commonly used in present perfect tense sentences.