Difference Between Been and Being: Grammar Guide

by

Understanding Usage

Knowing when to use ‘been’ and ‘being’ can really make your writing stand out. Let’s break it down so you can use them like a pro in sentences.

Usage of ‘Been’

‘Been’ is the past participle of ‘to be.’ This little word usually hangs out in perfect tenses, passive voice setups, and in some iffy situations—er, conditional sentences, I mean.

  • Perfect Tenses: ‘Been’ loves teaming up with ‘have’ to show actions or states that wrapped up in the past or are still important somehow.

    Examples:

  • She has been to Paris. (Lucky her, right?)

  • They have been friends since childhood. (Aw, buddies forever.)

  • He had been working there before he moved. (Was, then gone.)

  • Passive Voice: ‘Been’ and ‘have’ form a dream team in passive voice when followed by a past participle, focusing on the action done to a subject.

    Examples:

  • The report has been written by her. (Is it any good?)

  • The house had been sold before winter. (Avoiding that snow.)

  • Conditional Sentences: ‘Been’ pops up to talk about things that could have happened, but didn’t.

    Examples:

  • If he had been there, things might have been different. (Oops.)

  • They would have been on time if they had left earlier. (There’s always traffic…)

For more stories with ‘been,’ check out perfect tenses in context.

Usage of ‘Being’

‘Being’ is the present participle of ‘to be.’ It shows up in sentences where actions are still unfolding or are incomplete.

  • Continuous Tenses: Here, ‘being’ joins with ‘to be’ forms, revealing actions in progress at various times.

    Examples:

  • She is being very helpful today. (Gold star for her!)

  • They are being interviewed now. (Fingers crossed.)

  • He was being annoying yesterday. (Some things never change.)

  • Passive Continuous Tenses: In passive, ‘being’ highlights subjects that are receiving ongoing actions.

    Examples:

  • The project is being managed by a dedicated team. (Team spirit!)

  • The house was being painted when we arrived. (We didn’t touch the wet paint, promise.)

If you crave more on ‘being’ in action, explore continuous tenses in context.

Mastering ‘been’ and ‘being’ gives your writing that extra pop and clarity. Knowing how to use each one right in perfect or continuous situations brings out exactly what you mean, loud and clear. For even more clarity, head over to our articles on the difference between assume and presume and the difference between award and reward.

Differences in Tenses

Figurin’ out the difference between ‘been’ and ‘being’ is like learning to ride a bike—might look tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t forget. These two little words play big roles in how we talk about time, specifically when we’re chattin’ in perfect or continuous tenses. So, let’s jump into this time machine and see where each of these fellas fits in.

Perfect Tenses

Now, when it comes to perfect tenses, ‘been’ steps up to the plate. It’s like the trusty old past participle of the verb “to be” (Grammarly). This word pops up in the present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect tenses.

  • Present Perfect Tense: Think of it as that action you did sometime before now, but shh… we ain’t tellin’ when exactly.

  • Example: “She’s been to the store.”

  • Setup: has/have + been

  • Past Perfect Tense: Describes that thing you did before you did another thing. You know, memories.

  • Example: “They’d been friends long before the dating game started.”

  • Setup: had + been

  • Future Perfect Tense: Talks about something that’ll be all done by a future date.

  • Example: “Next year, she’ll have been at that job for a whole decade.”

  • Setup: will have + been

Tense Setup Example
Present Perfect has/have + been “They’ve been here before.”
Past Perfect had + been “He’d been a student before working.”
Future Perfect will have + been “She will have been to all continents by next year.”

Continuous Tenses

Meanwhile, ‘being’ is busy workin’ in the continuous tenses, those ones with ongoing stuff. It’s the present participle of “to be” (BYJU’S).

  • Present Continuous Tense: That’s stuff happening as we speak.

  • Example: “She’s being so helpful today.”

  • Setup: is/am/are + being

  • Past Continuous Tense: Here’s what was going on at a certain moment back then.

  • Example: “He was being grilled just as the fire alarm rang.”

  • Setup: was/were + being

  • Future Continuous Tense: Shows the action that’ll be in the works at some future time.

  • Example: “They’ll be being filled in on the latest tomorrow.”

  • Setup: will be + being

Tense Setup Example
Present Continuous is/am/are + being “She’s being considered for a promotion.”
Past Continuous was/were + being “They were being rowdy during the meeting.”
Future Continuous will be + being “He’ll be being evaluated next month.”

Curious about more lingo mysteries? Check out the difference between assume and presume or explore the world of assure and ensure.

Gettin’ these little words straight in their tenses can up your grammar game big time!

Contextual Application

Perfect Tenses in Context

When you’re knee-deep in perfect tenses, you’ll find “been” hanging out to mark actions all wrapped up in the past but still relevant today.

Usage in Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense vibes with “has” or “have” plus “been,” pointing to stuff that happened sometime back or kicked off earlier and still rolls on.

Examples:

  • She has been to the store.
  • They have been friends for years.

Usage in Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense pairs “had” with “been” to chat about things done before another past event.

Examples:

  • By the time she arrived, he had been waiting for hours.
  • He had been ill before the event started.

Usage in Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense grabs “will have” or “shall have” alongside “been,” describing tasks soon-to-be done before some future moment.

Examples:

  • By next year, she will have been an employee here for a decade.
  • They will have been married for 25 years next month.

Continuous Tenses in Context

“Being” pops up mostly in action-packed continuous tenses and passive setups, highlighting stuff ongoing or happening to someone or something.

Usage in Present Continuous Tense

Present continuous tense throws “is,” “am,” or “are” with “being,” showing off current happenings.

Examples:

  • He is being very helpful today.
  • The cat is being fed as we speak.

Usage in Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous blends “was” or “were” with “being,” diving into actions that were buzzing at a specific past time.

Examples:

  • She was being quite unreasonable yesterday.
  • They were being served dinner when I called.

Passive Voice

“Being” also tags along in passive voice structures, showcasing what’s being done to the main act.

Examples:

  • The project is being managed by an experienced team.
  • The house was being painted last week.

For a closer look at the quirks and best uses, check out our articles on the difference between been and being and similar topics like the difference between autocomplete and autofill.

Grammatical Role

‘Been’ Kickin’ It

The word ‘been’ is the past participle form of “to be,” and it pops up in perfect tenses when “to be” takes center stage. When you see ‘been,’ expect it to hang with helpers like “have,” “has,” or “had.”

  • Present Perfect Tense: Teams up with “have/has.”
  • Example: “She has been to the store.”
  • Past Perfect Tense: Gets along well with “had.”
  • Example: “They had been friends for years.”

Table of Usage – Been

Tense Auxiliary Verb Example Sentence
Present Perfect have/has “She has been working all day.”
Past Perfect had “They had been studying before you arrived.”

‘Been’ is all about those snazzy perfect tenses, marking actions wrapped up by the time you’re talking about them. Want more on this? Breeze through our section on Perfect Tenses.

‘Being’ In Action

Meanwhile, ‘being’ takes the role of the present participle for “to be.” It’s the go-to for ongoing activities or states and hangs out in continuous tenses.

  • Present Continuous Tense: Joins forces with “am/is/are” + ‘being’.
  • Example: “He is being helpful.”
  • Past Continuous Tense: Chills with “was/were” + ‘being’.
  • Example: “They were being noisy.”

Table of Usage – Being

Tense Auxiliary Verb Example Sentence
Present Continuous am/is/are “She is being very patient.”
Past Continuous was/were “The dog was being very loud.”

‘Being’ zeroes in on actions or conditions that are still in play, the polar opposite of the all-wrapped-up vibe of ‘been.’ If you’re curious about how these tenses play out, head over to our insights on Continuous Tenses in Context.

To dig deeper into how these verb forms work, check out our explorations of grammatical contrasts like the difference between assume and presume and difference between assure and ensure.

Practical Examples

Getting the hang of when to use ‘been’ and ‘being’ can really sharpen up your chatting game in English. Let’s break it down with some real-life examples to see how these words play their part.

Examples with ‘Been’

‘Been’ hangs out in perfect tenses, acting as the past sidekick of ‘be’. Check out these sentences:

Sentence Explanation
She has been to Paris. ‘Has been’ shares a story from the past.
They have been working here for five years. ‘Have been working’ shows something started back in the day and is still rolling.
The project had been completed before the deadline. ‘Had been completed’ pops up when talking about something finished before another past happening.
By next year, I will have been living here for a decade. ‘Will have been living’ discusses a future scenario with roots in the past.

For more tales of perfect tenses, skip over to the perfect tenses in context.

Examples with ‘Being’

‘Being’ has its mojo in continuous tenses and jumps into gerund phrases. Peep these examples:

Sentence Explanation
She is being helpful today. ‘Is being’ spots a one-day wonder of behavior.
Being punctual is important. ‘Being’ shows off as a subject in its gerund form.
They are being redeployed to another department. ‘Are being’ slips into the present continuous passive scene.
I enjoy being around my family. ‘Being’ here flourishes as the object of the verb ‘enjoy’.

Want to know more? Head over to continuous tenses in context for more goodies.

For some extra grounding in grammar particulars, these reads got you covered:

Following these snippets, you’ll catch on to ‘been’ and ‘being’ fast, making your English crystal clear whether chatting or writing. Happy learning!

Leave a Comment