This ultimate guide gives you a detail look at differences and examples of been vs being and how they are used to avoid confusion.
Most of the times we get confused on whether to use been or being . Therefore we have got this article to build a clear understanding.
Being in the world surrounded by highly educated people, it becomes necessary to update ourselves and be the best in whatever field we are. And communication as we know is the key to all the negotiation, we need to have a grip on English. Only when our grammar is proper, the sentences will make sense. Thus, it is essential to realize the significance of grammar in language. Grammar is the foundational structure and sound of a language. You might have noticed that Native English speakers are able to recognize the grammar and are therefore able to speak grammatically correct sentences.
Now, coming back to our new set of word – Being vs Been. These words are often confused by every student. Although you know that both the words are forms of the primary auxiliary verb ‘Be’, but they are used in different grammatical structures. Do remember that the word ‘Been’ is the past participle form of ‘Be’ and is always used after ‘have’.
- I have been to India.
- The postman has already been there.
The word ‘Being’ is the present participle form of the verb ‘Be’ and always make sure that it is not used after ‘have’. It is a rule in English grammar that ‘Being’ is used after a form of be (is, am, are, was, were).
- He is being sick for a long time.
- Who is being a silly baby, then?
- I was being very careful.
The Use Of ‘Being’ as a Noun
As we know that the word ‘being’ can also be used as a noun.
As a noun ‘being’ means that an individual or a living creature. ‘Supernatural Beings’ refer to spirits or gods. As we are ‘Human Beings’.
Some more examples are: human beings, social beings, supernatural beings, living beings etc.
The basic structure of ‘be’ + ‘being’ can be followed by an adjective or noun.
- He was being careful all way long.
- She was being silly with her.
This structure is of the used to talk about actions and behaviors. It is not ordinarily accustomed mention feelings.
The use of Word ‘Being’ as a Gerund
The word being may also be a verbal noun (which could be a form of noun).
For example:
- Do you like being so ignorant?
- The accident was caused by his being very clumsy.
- I live in terror of not being misunderstood.
You can also use being after these verbs:
- avoid
- enjoy
- can’t stand
- don’t mind
- look forward to
- practice
- spend time
- stop
When and How to Use Been
Always remember to use been after could have, should have, and would have:
- You should have been on time for your first day on job.
- The presentation would have been better if we’d done more preparation and better practice sessions.
- He could have been injured badly when he fell off his motorcycle but he was lucky enough that he didn’t get hurt.
Now, before moving over to the next set of grammar exercise, try out some examples for better understanding.
Which of the following sentences is/are grammatically correct?
This simple exercise will help you find the correct ones and their different meaning.
Are there any other (more correct or more precise) ways to express the same meaning?
- Being 20 weeks outside the womb my baby has learned to grab things really fast.
- Having been 20 weeks outside the womb my baby has learned to grab things really fast.
- Having been being 20 weeks outside the womb my baby has learned to grab things.