Have been absent vs Was absent

The phrases "have been absent" and "was absent" are not directly comparable because they are in different tenses. "Have been absent" is in the present perfect tense, indicating an action that started in the past and continues to the present, while "was absent" is in the past simple tense, indicating a completed action in the past. The choice between them depends on the context and the tense needed.

Last updated: April 01, 2024 • 359 views

Have been absent

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English. It is in the present perfect tense, indicating an action that started in the past and continues to the present.

Use "have been absent" when you want to express that someone has been missing from a place or situation from a point in the past up to the present.

Examples:

I have been absent from work for the past two days.
She has been absent from school due to illness.
They have been absent from the meetings for weeks.

Show examples from the web [+]

32 kids with juvie records have been absent from school in the last 3 days.
How many Members have been absent so far this year without giving a valid reason?
They have had very little reason to engage with the EU because the means of doing so have been absent.
You have been absent the arena many months.
You have been absent from the stage for far too long, Bunny.
You have been absent the arena many months.
You have been absent for so many seasons.
Accordingly, it was also impossible to calculate how the hypothetical costs in India for a ductile producer would have been absent the distortion.
Regrettably, it is precisely these elements that have been absent from the transatlantic partnership over the past few months.
Jelena, you have been absent from the pages of Echo for some time.
PES President Sergei Stanishev, stated that; thanks to Conservative obsessions, growth and employment measures have been absent from the EU agenda for fully two years now.
You have been absent ever since that baby was born.
It offers the lesser qualified and women, in particular, who have been absent from the labour market for a good length of time, an opportunity to step back into working life.
France and Europe have been absent since they bowed down to the orders of the United States, represented by Mr Solana, the former NATO Secretary-General.
Where such goods are imported by persons resident within their territories, Denmark and Finland shall be authorized to restrict the grant of admission without payment of duty to persons who have been absent from their territory for a period of more than 24 hours.
I have been absent from Shinnyo-ji for awhile. Oftentimes I don't even think about Shinnyo-ji. Although I know that Shinnyo-ji thinks about me.
Not necessarily their exterior self; in reality, one parent might very well have been absent, but the child's horoscope contains a father figure none the less, regardless whether it is a woman's or a man's horoscope.
Mr President, could we not demonstrate again the great interest that we take in the fate of these prisoners who have been tortured and have been absent from their homes for eight years for having treated young Libyans?
As well as my opposition to this militaristic foreign affairs philosophy, my reason for voting against it is that the most basic principles of transparency and democracy have been absent throughout the process of creating the European External Action Service (EEAS).
There has not been one day when I have been absent from my work.

Alternatives:

have not been present
have not attended
have been missing
have been away
have been off

Was absent

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English. It is in the past simple tense, indicating an action that happened and was completed in the past.

Use "was absent" when you want to indicate that someone was missing from a place or situation at a specific point in the past.

Examples:

He was absent from the meeting yesterday.
She was absent from school last week.
The teacher was absent from class on Monday.

Show examples from the web [+]

Ko Chow, he was absent from work.
It was absent on the chart of John's organs.
The school thinks I was absent October 13th.
I myself was absent, but I have had this confirmed to me.
She wanted to know why Hanna was absent.
In the same judgment the Court considered that such a characteristic was absent in the case of courses provided under the national education system.
And Mayor Phillips, despite all his lobbying, was absent.
Where the declarant was absent, his absence shall be recorded.
I want to find out who was absent that day.
Independent media was absent in the process of election.
However, extinction of fear was absent in 51 participants with a certain genetic variant.
Santiago Rodríguez, former secretary, was absent due to job commitments.
Unfortunately, his girlfriend (a specialist Breton pancakes) was absent during our visit.
John was absent from school yesterday.
I think it's strange that she was absent from school.
Allison Marsh, the one who briefed you, was absent last night due to a family emergency.
K65R was absent and L74V and Y115F were uncommon (<= 3%).
Muto was absent today with a cold
Depth was absent, but we got a tonal balance that was neutral enough not to cause fatigue.
Last night during the debate on the oral question the Council was absent.

Alternatives:

was not present
did not attend
was missing
was away
was off

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