he has flown

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "he has flown" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is the present perfect tense form of the verb "fly," and is used to describe an action that was completed in the past but has a connection to the present. Example: "He has flown to many different countries for his job as a pilot."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

He has flown away to paradise.

The New York Times

He has flown in a private jet.

The New York Times

He has flown around the globe on it.

The New York Times

He has flown more than 30 different aircraft.

The Guardian

He has flown to Paris for further help.

The New York Times - Arts

He has flown to the kingdom repeatedly for secret talks.

The New Yorker

He has flown all round the country in his plane.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

He has flown to and from Los Angeles within hours to appear on Bill Maher's program.

The New Yorker

He has flown to some remote places to collect samples from related pairs of identical twins.

The Economist

And he has flown to Africa repeatedly to photograph the work of contemporary African architects, a personal passion.

The New York Times - Arts

He has flown the Hudson River corridor before, as recently as last month.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he has flown" when you want to emphasize that someone has the experience of flying, or has completed a flight, rather than focusing on the specific instance of travel. For example, "He has flown many times before, so he is not nervous about the trip."

Common error

Avoid using "he has flown" when the simple past tense "he flew" is more appropriate. Use "he flew" when referring to a specific flight in the past with a defined time frame, rather than implying a general experience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he has flown" functions as a present perfect verb phrase, indicating a completed action with relevance to the present. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Less common in

Academia

1%

Encyclopedias

0.5%

Reference

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "he has flown" is a grammatically correct and very common expression, primarily used in neutral contexts like news and media. It serves to convey that an individual has the experience of flying at some point, not necessarily focusing on a particular flight event. As highlighted by Ludwig, it's important to distinguish its use from the simple past tense "he flew", which is used for specific past flight instances. Alternatives include "he took a flight" or "he traveled by plane". When writing, focus on emphasizing the experience of flying. Avoid using "he has flown" when a specific flight event is being discussed and remember to use the past simple instead.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he has air traveled

A less common, but direct alternative to 'he has flown'.

he took a flight

Focuses on the action of taking a flight, rather than the completed state of having flown.

he caught a flight

Highlights the act of boarding a plane to travel.

he made a flight

Highlights the accomplishment of making a flight.

he traveled by plane

Emphasizes the mode of transport used for travel.

he boarded a plane

Similar to 'caught a flight', it emphasizes the action of getting on the aircraft.

he went by air

A more generic way to specify air travel, without mentioning a plane.

he used air transport

A formal way of describing the use of planes as transport.

he has taken to the skies

A more poetic expression implying the start of a flying journey.

he has gone airborne

Emphasizes the action of becoming airborne, often used in technical contexts.

FAQs

How do I use "he has flown" in a sentence?

Use "he has flown" to indicate that someone has the experience of flying at some point in their life or in a period leading up to the present. For example, "He has flown to Europe several times."

What's the difference between "he has flown" and "he flew"?

"He has flown" indicates an action completed at an unspecified time in the past or an experience, while "he flew" refers to a specific instance of flying in the past. For example, "He "flew" to Paris last week" versus "He has flown to Paris before".

What can I say instead of "he has flown"?

You can use alternatives like "he took a flight", "he "traveled by plane"", or "he went by air" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "he has been flying" instead of "he has flown"?

While both are grammatically correct, "he has been flying" implies a continuous or repeated action over a period of time, whereas "he has flown" indicates a completed action or experience. For example, "He has been flying for 10 years" versus "He has flown many different types of aircraft".