may have been doing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "may have been doing" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is known as the present perfect progressive tense and is used to talk about an action that started in the past and is still in progress or has just been completed. Example: He may have been studying for hours, but he still didn't understand the concept.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

Again, we may have been doing them an injustice.

The New York Times - Books

It seems they may have been doing things too fast.

The New York Times

(Alexander says they may have been doing nothing more than kissing).

The New Yorker

Who knows, people may have been doing something similar for a very long time indeed.

The Guardian

So, in more than 10 percent of cases, the citizens who were stopped may have been doing something illegal.

The New York Times

Animals may have been doing it before it was cool, but for humans the practice is relatively recent.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

Here, at least, Khawaja may have been done a favour.

The Guardian - Sport

Substantive harm may have been done as well.

The New York Times

Regardless of intent, political damage may have been done.

The New York Times

Regardless of intent, some damage may have been done.

The New York Times

The fastening system may be less expensive and may have been done to save money.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "may have been doing" to express speculation or uncertainty about an action that was possibly in progress at some point in the past. It's suitable when you want to suggest a possibility without stating it as a fact.

Common error

Avoid using "may have been doing" when you should be using "might have done" or "may be doing". "May have been doing" refers to a continuous action in the past with uncertainty, while "might have done" refers to a completed action in the past with uncertainty and "may be doing" refers to a possible continuous action in the present.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "may have been doing" functions as an auxiliary verb phrase indicating a speculative or uncertain action that was in progress at some point in the past. According to Ludwig AI, it employs the present perfect progressive tense to denote an action that either continues from the past or has recently concluded.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Wiki

10%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "may have been doing" is a versatile auxiliary verb phrase used to express speculation or uncertainty about a past action that was possibly in progress. Grammatically correct and commonly found in various sources, it functions to indicate a degree of conjecture rather than a statement of fact. Ludwig AI confirms that it employs the present perfect progressive tense. As Ludwig examples show, it's particularly prevalent in "News & Media" sources, suggesting its utility in reporting uncertain or unfolding situations. When writing, be mindful not to confuse it with similar tenses like "might have done" or "may be doing", as they convey different nuances regarding the action's completion or timeframe.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might have been doing

Replaces "may" with "might", indicating a slightly lower degree of possibility.

could have been doing

Substitutes "may" with "could", suggesting a possibility or potential in the past.

possibly was doing

Replaces the modal verb construction with an adverb, simplifying the expression of possibility.

conceivably was doing

Emphasizes the speculative nature of the action using "conceivably".

potentially was doing

Highlights the potential for the action to have been occurring.

perhaps was engaged in

Replaces "doing" with "engaged in", adding a formal tone.

might have engaged in

Combines a lower degree of possibility and formal expression

it's possible they were doing

Introduces the phrase with "it's possible", shifting the sentence structure.

it's conceivable they were doing

Introduces the phrase with "it's conceivable", shifting the sentence structure and emphasising that something is possible to imagine or believe

it's plausible they were doing

Introduces the phrase with "it's plausible", shifting the sentence structure and suggesting the idea that they were doing that action is reasonable and likely to be true

FAQs

How to use "may have been doing" in a sentence?

"May have been doing" is used to express speculation about an action that was possibly in progress in the past. For example, "He "may have been doing" research while he was away."

What can I say instead of "may have been doing"?

Alternatives include "might have been doing", "could have been doing", or "possibly was doing" depending on the context and the degree of uncertainty you want to express.

Which is correct, "may have been doing" or "might have done"?

Both are correct but have different meanings. "May have been doing" suggests a continuous action in the past with uncertainty, while "might have done" refers to a completed action in the past with uncertainty. The choice depends on whether you're emphasizing the ongoing nature of the action or its completion.

What's the difference between "may have been doing" and "may be doing"?

"May have been doing" refers to a past action with a degree of uncertainty, while "may be doing" refers to a possible action in the present. For instance, "He "may have been doing" homework earlier", versus "He "may be doing" homework right now".