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I have been vs I was

Both "I have been" and "I was" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "I have been" is used to talk about experiences or actions that started in the past and continue up to the present. On the other hand, "I was" is used to talk about actions or situations that happened in the past and are completed.

Last updated: March 21, 2024 • 1088 views

I have been

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to talk about experiences or actions that started in the past and continue up to the present.

Use "I have been" when you want to express that you have been doing something from the past up to the present moment.

Examples:

I have been working on this project for two months.
She has been studying English for years.
They have been living in this city since 2010.

Show examples from the web [+]

Present perfect continuous ( I have been working ) - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge ...
Oct 31, 2022 ... What should I do if I have been exposed to someone with COVID-19? · If you have not had COVID-19 in the last 90 days, you can test with either a ...
What if I have been ordered to pay child support? If you are responsible for court-ordered child support payments and are in arrears, the Kansas Department ...
The difference between “I have been” and “I had been” is confusing to learners. This video gives an explanation beyond grammar that will make things clear.

Alternatives:

I have worked
I have studied
I have lived

I was

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to talk about actions or situations that happened in the past and are completed.

Use "I was" when you want to refer to something that occurred in the past and is finished.

Examples:

I was at the party last night.
She was a teacher before she became a writer.
They were happy when they received the news.

Show examples from the web [+]

I was savouring my revolution, I was disappearing... far.
I was taken away from my family when I was nine years old.
I was saying something and I wasn't finished.
I was adopted by a white family when I was nine.
I was walking peacefully along the sea front when I was attacked.
I was Bitten when I was ten.
I was lucky I was funny.
I was listening to it last night when I was falling asleep.
I was in the forces for a couple years when I was young.
I was actually on house arrest, Because last year I was involved in a hit-and-run.
I was truthful, I was completely relaxed.
I was taking out the trash when I was attacked.
I was surprised how calm I was once we got started.
I was there, I was approached by the company.
I was sent into the field when I was only 10.
I wasn't walking back home the night I was killed.
I wasn't absolutely positive, whom I was speaking to.
I was stolen from my parents when I was small...
When I was your age, I was obsessed with individual freedom.
All the time I was drawing, I was listening to Vangelis.

Alternatives:

I used to be
I had been
I was being

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