it has been an honour to serve

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence is correct and can be used in written English.
It can be used at the end of a speech, letter, or statement to express appreciation for the opportunity to have served in a particular position or in a particular situation. For example: "It has been an honour to serve as the president of this organization for the past five years. Thank you for this opportunity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"During the past nine and a half years it has been an honour to serve as your prime minister," he told a crowd of two or three hundred despondent activists.

The Guardian

He added: "It has been an honour to serve the Barcelonistas.

BBC

Johnston, in his statement to shareholders, added: "It has been an honour to serve as chairman for almost 10 football seasons and I wish Jim the best of luck and sound judgement during his time as chairman".

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

She tweeted that it had "been an honour to serve in shadow cabinet doing a job I love.

The Guardian

Ms Collins said it had been "an honour to serve our communities".

BBC

In a statement released by the White House, Mr Cohn said it had been "an honour to serve my country".

BBC

"It has been an honour to have served as Labour's chief whip for the past six years under three different leaders.

The Guardian

"From my personal perspective, it has been an honour to have served the club for more than 18 years in total since 1989.

BBC

"It has been an honour and pleasure to serve as the Legion's national president for the past four years, and I wish it every success in the future".

The Guardian

"It has been an honour and a privilege to serve this great city and to serve with all of you," the letter reads.

BBC

It has been an honour and a privilege to serve you".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use this phrase at the conclusion of a speech or formal communication to express your sincere gratitude for the opportunity to contribute.

Common error

Avoid using present tense when referring to a completed period of service. For example, use "It was an honour to serve" instead of "It has been an honour to serve" if your service has concluded.

Linguistic Context

The phrase functions as a formal expression of gratitude for having the opportunity to contribute or participate in a specific role or duty. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for written English. The phrase often concludes a speech or formal statement.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it has been an honour to serve" is a formal expression used to convey gratitude and a sense of fulfillment for the opportunity to contribute in a specific role. As Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, this expression is most appropriate in formal and professional contexts like speeches and official statements, with News & Media, Formal & Business and Wiki being the most frequent contexts. While relatively rare in overall usage, alternatives such as "it has been a privilege to serve" offer similar sentiments. Remember to ensure that the tense aligns accurately with the timeframe of your service, as selecting incorrect tense is a common error to avoid when using this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it has been a privilege to serve

Replaces "honour" with "privilege", indicating a sense of special opportunity and gratitude.

i am honored to have served

Changes the sentence structure to an active voice, emphasizing personal feeling of being honored.

i am grateful to have served

Replaces "honour" with "grateful", focusing on the feeling of thankfulness.

it was an honor to serve

Shifts the tense to the past, suitable when reflecting on a completed service.

i have been privileged to serve

Uses "privileged" instead of "honoured", highlighting the fortunate aspect of the service.

it has been a distinction to serve

Replaces "honour" with "distinction", emphasizing the notability of the service.

i have been fortunate to serve

Focuses on the luck and good fortune associated with the opportunity to serve.

i am humbled to have served

Emphasizes a feeling of humility and respect derived from the service.

serving has been an honor

Inverts the sentence structure, placing emphasis on the act of serving.

i appreciate the opportunity to have served

Explicitly expresses appreciation for the opportunity.

FAQs

What's the difference between "it has been an honour to serve" and "it was an honour to serve"?

"It has been an honour to serve" implies the service has recently concluded or its impact is still felt. "It was an honour to serve" is used when the service concluded further in the past and the emphasis is on reflecting on the experience.

What can I say instead of "it has been an honour to serve"?

You can use alternatives like "it has been a privilege to serve", "i am honored to have served", or "i am grateful to have served" depending on the context.

How do I use "it has been an honour to serve" in a formal setting?

Use this phrase at the end of a formal speech, resignation letter, or official statement to express gratitude and respect for the opportunity to serve a community, organization, or country.

Is "it has been an honor to serve" grammatically correct?

Yes, "it has been an honour to serve" is grammatically correct and widely accepted in formal and professional settings. It expresses gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to have served.