would have been doing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would have been doing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express an idea of something that was supposed to happen in the past but did not. For example, "I would have been doing my homework if I hadn't been so tired".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

I would have been doing it regardless.

The Guardian - Music

Had it gone two overtimes, Rod Serling would have been doing the play-by-play.

The New York Times - Sports

Consider what they would have been doing if the Scots had voted Yes.

Independent

"We would have been doing significant numbers over five years anyway," Smith said.

The New York Times - Sports

Goodness knows what an Islamic caliphate would have been doing 1,000 years ago?

The Guardian

And even if Westerners had attended, most likely they would have been doing little more than watching a screen.

The New Yorker

If the Sen. had been looking for publicity that day, he would have been doing all right.

The New Yorker

If the Sen. had been looking for publicity that day, he would have been doing all right..

The New Yorker

"Even so I would have been doing the same thing a year down the road," Mr. Martin said.

The New York Times

"We just thought that overall, the economy would have been doing better than it's been doing," said Bernard Markstein, senior economist with the home builders.

The New York Times

The Business Secretary, Vince Cable, would have been doing the same, when the decision on the BSkyB bid rested with him.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would have been doing" to describe hypothetical continuous actions in the past, especially when discussing what someone would have been in the middle of if circumstances had been different. For example, "If it hadn't rained, I "would have been doing" yard work all afternoon."

Common error

Avoid using "would have been doing" when a simpler past perfect continuous tense is more appropriate. For instance, instead of "I thought I "would have been doing" better if I had studied more", say "I would have been doing better if I had studied more".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have been doing" functions as a hypothetical past continuous construction. It indicates an action that was expected to be in progress at some point in the past, but did not occur because of different circumstances. Ludwig AI confirms the correct usage of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

59%

Science

26%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Reference

3%

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "would have been doing" is a versatile phrase used to express hypothetical past continuous actions. Grammatically sound and very common, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, it appears frequently in news, science, and other formal contexts. When writing, ensure you use the correct tense sequencing to avoid common errors. Consider alternatives like "would have engaged in" depending on the specific shade of meaning you want to convey. By mastering this phrase, you can enhance the clarity and sophistication of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have engaged in

Replaces "doing" with a more formal verb, emphasizing involvement in a specific activity.

would have participated in

Similar to "engaged in", but specifically highlights taking part in something.

would have carried out

Suggests a planned or deliberate action that would have occurred.

would have acted

Simplifies the phrase, focusing on the action itself rather than the ongoing nature of it.

would have been occupied with

Focuses on the state of being busy with something, rather than the action itself.

would have spent time on

Emphasizes the duration of the activity that would have taken place.

would have devoted time to

Highlights the dedication of time to a particular activity.

would have busied oneself with

A more formal and somewhat archaic way of saying "would have been doing", implying active engagement.

would have applied oneself to

Implies a focused and intentional effort towards a specific task.

would have dedicated efforts to

Similar to 'applied oneself to' but stresses the exertion of effort towards something

FAQs

How can I use "would have been doing" in a sentence?

Use "would have been doing" to describe a continuous action that you imagine would have been in progress at a point in the past, had circumstances been different. For example, "She "would have been doing" her presentation, but the projector broke down".

What is a simpler way to express "would have been doing"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "would have engaged in" or "would have participated in" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "would have been do" grammatically correct?

No, "would have been do" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "would have been doing", where "doing" is the present participle of the verb.

What's the difference between "would have done" and "would have been doing"?

"Would have done" indicates a completed action in the past that didn't actually happen, while "would have been doing" suggests a continuous action that "would have been" in progress over a period of time in the past if circumstances had been different.