he has been doing

USAGE SUMMARY

"he has been doing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a continuing action that has been taking place over a current or past period of time. For example, "He has been doing his best to save money for college tuition."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

General Conversation

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"He has been doing it for years".

The New York Times

Twelve years, he has been doing this.

The Washington Post

Sort of like he has been doing.

The New York Times

He has been doing it ever since.

The Guardian - Sport

"Everyone admires what he has been doing".

The New York Times

He has been doing this forever.

The Guardian

He has been doing so for 50 years and more.

The New Yorker

He has been doing this job for nine years.

The Guardian

But what does that mean he has been doing?

The Economist

He has been doing this a long time.

The New York Times - Sports

He has been doing that consistently for about a month.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he has been doing" to describe actions that started in the past and are still ongoing or have recently finished. For example, "He has been doing research on climate change for the past five years."

Common error

Avoid using "he has been doing" when referring to completed actions in the past that have no relevance to the present. Instead, use the past simple tense: "He did a great job on the presentation."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he has been doing" functions as a present perfect continuous verb phrase. It indicates an action that started in the past and is still continuing or has recently finished. Ludwig provides numerous examples that highlight this ongoing aspect.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Sports

19%

Academia

3%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Science

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "he has been doing" is a grammatically correct and very common present perfect continuous verb phrase used to describe actions that began in the past and continue into the present. Ludwig provides ample examples demonstrating its usage across diverse contexts, including News & Media and Sports. It's important to use this phrase when emphasizing the duration and ongoing nature of an activity. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is suitable for a wide range of registers, primarily neutral. Remember to avoid using it for actions completed entirely in the past.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he's been up to

This alternative emphasizes the activities someone has recently engaged in.

he's been working on

This phrase highlights ongoing tasks or projects.

he's engaged in

Focuses on current involvement or participation.

he's occupied with

This emphasizes that someone is currently busy with something.

he has pursued

This suggests a deliberate and consistent effort toward a specific goal.

he has practiced

This implies repeated performance of a particular skill or activity.

he has undertaken

Suggests he's taken on a task or responsibility and is actively involved.

he's devoted himself to

Emphasizes dedication and commitment to a cause or activity.

he's involved in

This phrase indicates active participation in an activity or project.

he's maintaining

Focuses on sustained effort to keep something going.

FAQs

How can I use "he has been doing" in a sentence?

Use "he has been doing" to describe an action that started in the past and continues into the present. For example, "He has been doing his homework for three hours."

What's a similar phrase to "he has been doing"?

You could use phrases like "he's been up to" or "he's been working on" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "he has being doing" instead of "he has been doing"?

No, "he has being doing" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "he has been doing", using the past participle "been".

What's the difference between "he has done" and "he has been doing"?

"He has done" implies a completed action, while "he has been doing" implies an action that started in the past and may still be ongoing. For example, "He has done the dishes" versus "He has been doing the dishes for an hour".