it been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it been" is not correct in written English.
It is a grammatical error and should not be used. Example: "It has been a long time since we last met."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Has it been solicited?

The New York Times - Magazine

Has it been difficult?

The New York Times

Has it been perfect?

The New York Times - Sports

Where has it been?

The New York Times

Whose idea had it been?

The New Yorker

How challenging has it been?

The New York Times

How bad has it been?

The New York Times

How long has it been?

The New York Times

Why hasn't it been removed?

The Guardian

Or has it been dubbed?

The New Yorker

Where had it been manufactured?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always include an auxiliary verb (e.g., 'has', 'was', 'had') when using the past participle 'been'. For example, use "it has been" instead of "it been".

Common error

Avoid dropping the auxiliary verb 'has', 'had', or 'is' before 'been'. This omission creates grammatically incorrect sentences. Always ensure the correct tense and structure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it been" functions incorrectly as it lacks an auxiliary verb, such as "has", "had", or "was", which is necessary to form a complete verb phrase in standard English. According to Ludwig AI, this is a grammatical error.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Academia

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it been" is a grammatically incorrect construction in English, typically intended to convey meanings of the present perfect, simple past, or past perfect tenses. The proper forms are "it has been", "it was", or "it had been", respectively. Ludwig AI identifies this as a common grammatical error. While the phrase may appear in varied sources, including news and media, its usage is not considered standard, and it should be avoided in formal writing. Remember to always include the necessary auxiliary verb to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it has been

Adds the auxiliary verb 'has' to form the present perfect tense, indicating a completed action or state relevant to the present.

it's been

Contraction of "it has been", providing a more informal but grammatically correct alternative.

it was

Uses the past tense of 'to be' to describe a state or event that occurred in the past.

it had been

Employs the past perfect tense to describe an action completed before another point in the past.

has it been

Inverts the auxiliary verb and subject to form a question in the present perfect tense.

it will be

Uses the future tense of 'to be' to describe a state or event that will occur in the future.

it is

Uses the present tense of 'to be' to describe a current state or event.

it used to be

Indicates a past state that is no longer true.

it began

Replaces the phrase with a verb indicating the start of something.

it commenced

A more formal alternative to 'it began', indicating the start of something.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "it been" in a sentence?

The phrase "it been" is grammatically incorrect. You should use "it has been", "it was", or "it had been" depending on the intended tense.

What can I say instead of "it been"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "it has been" (present perfect), "it was" (simple past), or "it had been" (past perfect).

Which is correct, "it been" or "it has been"?

"It has been" is the correct grammatical form. "It been" is missing the auxiliary verb "has".

What's the difference between "it been" and "it's been"?

"It been" is grammatically incorrect. "It's been" is a contraction of "it has been" and is grammatically correct, using the present perfect tense.