Commonly Misued Words: Been and Being

The words "been" and "being" have very different meanings & usages. Getting them confused and using the wrong one can really jump out at a reader. So let's spend some time focusing on each one and learning more about them.

Been: This word is pronounced like "bin." It is used as a helping (or auxilary) verb and is the past participle of the verb "be." Here are some examples of the word "been" in a correct sentence.

1.) I have been waiting for 5 hours.
2.) Terrance has been on the varsity football team for a while.
3.) My grandparents have been in the hospital.
4.) You have been a great student.
5.) She has been shopping already.
6.) The test has been completed as of yesterday.

Being: This word is pronounced like "bee-ing." It can be used in various formats including a noun and a present participle. Let's look at some examples of each.

1.) We are all human beings. (noun)
2.) The alien beings are shown in movies. (noun)
3.) I am being a cat for Halloween. (present participle)
4.) You are being a good student by studying. (present participle)
5.) They are being taken to the airport right now. (present participle)
6.) She is being given an award. (present participle)

Here are some helpful hints to use!

** The word "been" will always have either "has" or "have" in front of it. It' s used when talking about something that already happened.

** The word "being" might use "am," "is," "are," "was," or "were" in front of it. It will never have the words "has" or "have" used with it.

Can you correctly use the words "being" and "been" in a sentence? Give it a shot!!!