has been continued vs has been continuing

Both of these phrases are correct, but they’re used in different contexts. 'Has been continued' is used when referring to something that was stopped and then started again, while 'has been continuing' is used to refer to an ongoing action that hasn’t stopped.

Explained by Miss E.
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: October 31, 2024 • 11241 views

has been continued

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to something that was stopped and then started again.

This phrase is used to indicate that an action or process was halted at some point in the past and then resumed.

Examples:

The construction work has been continued after the rain stopped.
The meeting has been continued to next week due to scheduling conflicts.

Show examples from the web [+]

Analysis of the implications of the move to Stage Three in the field of payment systems was begun under the aegis of the Committee of Governors in 1992 and has been continued by the EMI.
In the United Kingdom considerable credit could well be paid to the former Conservative government for effecting just that, a policy which has been continued by the current Labour government.
And the same separation has been continued in all the months since then.
It was an imaginative proposal by the last government, which has been continued by the present one.
H. Gałuszkowa has been continued by the Bee Research Department at the Agricultural University of Kraków.
A LDC is granted if it can be proven that activity on the land has been continued without enforcement action having been taken against the operator for more than a set period of time.
I am delighted that the process has been continued, that we are negotiating with Turkey, that some changes have indeed been made in that country.
This dialogue has been continued by the Vice-President, who comes every year to speak with non-governmental organisations and to inform them of the progress being made by the Government in this field.
To curb credit growth, high reserve requirements have been maintained, vigilant financial supervision has been continued and the compulsory reserve base has been extended; however, the direct impact has been limited.
The AOC of this carrier has been continued without any geographical limitation whilst evidence was obtained that the operator does not comply with Cambodian Civil Aviation Regulations and does not meet ICAO requirements.
Is delighted that the process of harmonising reporting procedures has been continued and that further steps have been taken towards achieving fully comparable statistics between EU Member States;
As the General Court confirmed in its ruling in Case T-421/07 [38], all measures under investigation have been part of the proceedings since the 1999 Opening decision, which has been continued by the 2007 Extension decision.
Centrifugal-casting production has been continued in the context of the insolvency proceedings and it is intended that the receiver, with the consent of the committee of creditors, will sell it to a new investor through an asset deal.
In Cyprus there has been ethnic cleansing, and it has been going on continuously: it was carried out by force of arms in 1974 and has been continued in a less violent manner ever since.

Alternatives:

has been resumed
has been restarted
has been picked up again
has been reinitiated

has been continuing

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to an ongoing action that has not stopped.

This phrase is used to indicate that an action or process has been ongoing without interruption.