it has been fetching

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it has been fetching" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an ongoing action or state that has been occurring up to the present time, often in the context of retrieving or attracting something. Example: "Since the new marketing strategy was implemented, it has been fetching a lot of positive feedback from customers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

And the price of gold may have something to do with it: it has been fetching record prices, in the vicinity of $1,200 an ounce, in the commodities market.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"It is a unique, one-of-a-kind penthouse, with a remarkable provenance, and it is this category of property that has been fetching record prices in the last year," said Kirk Henckels, executive vice president and director of Stribling Private Brokerage, who has taken several buyers to see the house.

The New York Times

You have heard about the four-figure prices the console has been fetching on eBay.

The New York Times - Tech

This year a kilo of burley has been fetching only around $1 at auction, disregarding the official minimum of $1.76, which has swelled the ranks of Malawi's malcontents.The country still has a lot going for it.

The Economist

Outdoor sculpture has been fetching strong prices recently, and Louise Bourgeois's "Spider," a giant bronze that has been parked outside Christie's Manhattan headquarters, made $10.7 million, a record price for the artist at auction, against an estimate of $4 million to $6 million.

The New York Times - Arts

To reasonably assign upload bandwidth among peers, we first present a stochastic model to relate expected downloading speed (EDS) with buffered data amount (BDA, the amount of data has been fetched in buffer, however has not been played yet by the peer), video playback rate and fluency (the probability of no interruption in a viewing process).

The Journal of China Universities of Posts and Telecommunications

Villagers said the dead boys, who were 8 to 12 years old, had been in front of a house, and the girls, 9 and 10, had been fetching water from a stream alongside it when two American A-10 attack jets firing rockets and machine guns struck at 10 45 a.m.

The New York Times

He had been fetching water when the jets attacked.

The New Yorker

"We have been fetching water from wells in the swamp.

The Guardian

Outside of the November auction, pocket watches on the market have been fetching equally high prices.

The New York Times

Thanks to the nation's unprecedented and currently much-debated real estate boom, houses in top vacation spots like Sullivan's Island have been fetching record prices.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it has been fetching" when you want to emphasize an ongoing process of retrieving or attracting something, especially when the object being fetched is somewhat surprising or noteworthy.

Common error

Avoid using "it has been fetching" in highly formal or academic writing where more precise or sophisticated vocabulary might be preferred. Consider alternatives like "it has been yielding" or "it has been attracting" for a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "it has been fetching" is as a present perfect continuous verb phrase. It indicates an action that started in the past, has continued up to the present, and is still ongoing or has recently ceased. Ludwig confirms the correctness of this construction.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it has been fetching" is a grammatically sound present perfect continuous verb phrase that effectively describes an ongoing process of retrieval or attraction. As Ludwig confirms, its neutral register makes it suitable for various contexts, particularly in news and media. While not extremely common, it adds a nuanced meaning that can enhance writing by emphasizing the continuous nature of the action. When a more formal register is desired, alternatives such as "it has been obtaining" or "it has been acquiring" can be used. Ultimately, understanding its specific connotation allows for more precise and impactful communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it has been attracting

Replaces "fetching" with a more general term for drawing something in; suggests a less active retrieval.

it has been yielding

Suggests the continuous production or provision of something; changes the focus from retrieving to producing.

it has been garnering

Implies a gradual accumulation of something, often positive or valuable; shifts emphasis to the result of the action.

it has been drawing in

Emphasizes the act of attracting or pulling something towards itself continuously.

it has been acquiring

Focuses on the process of gaining possession of something over time; broadens the context beyond simple retrieval.

it has been obtaining

Similar to "acquiring" but can imply a more formal or deliberate process.

it has been bringing in

Focuses on the continuous act of delivering or importing something.

it has been realizing

Suggests the continuous achievement or attainment of something; alters the sense to achieving a specific outcome.

it has been earning

Implies continuous effort resulting in a reward or gain; shifts the focus to the effort involved.

it has been collecting

Highlights the gradual accumulation of items or data.

FAQs

How can I use "it has been fetching" in a sentence?

You can use "it has been fetching" to describe something that has been continuously retrieving or attracting something over a period. For example, "The antique car "has been fetching" high prices at auction".

What are some alternatives to "it has been fetching"?

Alternatives include "it has been attracting", "it has been yielding", or "it has been garnering", depending on the specific context.

Is "it has been fetching" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "it has been fetching" might be perceived as less formal. Consider using alternatives such as "it has been obtaining" or "it has been acquiring" in formal contexts.

What is the difference between "it has been fetching" and "it has been getting"?

"It has been fetching" often implies a more active or surprising retrieval of something, while "it has been getting" is more general and can refer to any continuous process of obtaining something. For example, "The new policy "has been getting" positive reviews" is a more common construction.