it simply been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it simply been" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "it has simply been"? If this is the case, you can use this phrase to indicate that something has occurred in a straightforward or uncomplicated manner in the past. Example: "It has simply been a matter of time before we see the results of our efforts."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Arts

Food

Sports

Health

Science

Lifestyle

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Had it simply been floating around in the bag, which contained two other heads of romaine, I might not have felt so disturbed.

The New York Times

But it might have worked better had it simply been a gospel drama and left out the opera.

The New York Times - Arts

Asked why it has taken so long for the story to be published, Nixon told the Observer: "During his lifetime, Beckett was rather negative about most of his works dating from the 1930s, and was reluctant to allow texts published in that decade to be republished … We would not be publishing this text had it simply been abandoned during the writing process.

The Guardian

Humana : Humana has, to put it simply, been doing better than many rivals.

Forbes

Can we believe in the objectivity of the coverage we see every day, or has it simply been paid for by a company flush with cash?" he wrote.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

It simply was.

The New Yorker

It simply is not.

The New York Times

It simply isn't".

The New York Times

It simply isn't fair.

The New York Times

It simply isn't true".

The New York Times

"It simply is not healthy".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always ensure the verb "to be" is conjugated correctly according to the tense you want to use. For example, use "it has simply been" for the present perfect tense.

Common error

A common mistake is omitting the auxiliary verb, such as "has" or "is", before "been". Remember to include the necessary auxiliary verb to maintain grammatical accuracy. For example, avoid writing "it simply been"; instead, write "it has simply been".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it simply been" functions as an incomplete clause due to the missing auxiliary verb. As noted by Ludwig, the phrase requires an auxiliary verb such as "has" or "is" to be grammatically correct. The provided examples often show instances where the auxiliary verb is omitted, leading to grammatically questionable sentences.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Arts

20%

Lifestyle

20%

Less common in

Food

10%

Sports

10%

Health

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while instances of the phrase "it simply been" can be found in various sources, it is grammatically incorrect because it lacks the necessary auxiliary verb. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct form would be something like "it has simply been" or "it was simply". Therefore, while the intended purpose is to convey simplicity, it's best to use grammatically sound alternatives to maintain clarity and credibility. The phrase's presence in news and media suggests it might appear in informal contexts, but it should be avoided in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it has simply been

Adding "has" corrects the grammar to present perfect tense.

it was simply

Changing to past tense clarifies the meaning and corrects the structure.

it has merely been

Replacing "simply" with "merely" maintains the meaning with correct grammar.

it's simply been

Using the contraction "it's" (it is) provides a more conversational and grammatically sound option.

it just been

Adding the verb "has" to 'just' corrects the grammar.

it could simply be

Introducing "could" shifts the phrase to express a possibility, while maintaining grammatical correctness.

it may simply be

Replacing "could" with "may" shifts the phrase to express a possibility, while maintaining grammatical correctness.

it might simply be

Introducing "might" shifts the phrase to express a possibility, while maintaining grammatical correctness.

it would simply be

Adding "would" changes the phrase to express a hypothetical situation, ensuring correct grammar.

it just has been

Placing has next to just emphasizes a very recent timing.

FAQs

How can I correct the phrase "it simply been"?

The phrase "it simply been" is grammatically incorrect. You can correct it by adding an auxiliary verb, such as using "it has simply been" (present perfect tense) or "it was simply" (past simple tense).

What does "it has simply been" mean?

The phrase "it has simply been" indicates that something has occurred in a straightforward or uncomplicated manner over a period of time until now. For example, "It has simply been a matter of time before we see the results of our efforts."

Are there alternatives to "it has simply been"?

Yes, you can use alternatives like "it has merely been", "it has just been", or rephrase the sentence to use a different structure altogether to convey a similar meaning.

What is the difference between "it was simply" and "it has simply been"?

"It was simply" refers to a past event or state, while "it has simply been" connects a past action to the present, indicating a continuing state or result.