Have Not Been vs. Have Been Not – Which is Correct?
“Have not been” is the normal, natural word order in English: “They have not been informed.” “Have been not” is grammatically possible only in limited structures, especially before “only” or when “not” contrasts with another complement: “They have been not merely helpful but essential.” In sentences, choose “have not been.”
Have Not Been or Have Been Not – Which Is Correct?
Both have not been and have been not can be grammatically correct, but they are not equally natural. Have not been is the standard word order when not simply makes the present perfect verb phrase negative.
Use have been not only when not belongs to a larger contrast or emphasis structure. This commonly occurs in patterns such as have been not only… or have been not merely…:
- We have not been consulted. This is the ordinary negative form.
- We have been not only consulted but also included in the decision. Here, not only introduces a paired contrast.
In ordinary negative sentences, placing not after been sounds awkward or may change the intended emphasis. Therefore, if you mean that someone or something has not had a particular state or condition, use have not been.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the auxiliary-first test: place not immediately after the helping verb have. The normal pattern is have + not + been. Move not after been only when it starts a larger phrase such as not only, not merely, or not entirely.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| have not been | Negative verb phrase | Have not existed, remained, or entered a particular state | They have not been available this week. |
| have been not | Emphatic or contrastive verb phrase | Have been something other than a specified description | They have been not merely helpful but indispensable. |
How to Use Have Not Been
Have not been is the normal negative form of the present perfect construction for subjects such as I, you, we, and they. It combines the auxiliary have, the negative adverb not, and the past participle been, which is the past participle of be.
Use it to describe a condition that has not occurred, an identity that has not applied, a location someone has not occupied, or a state that has not continued up to a particular time. The phrase is appropriate in casual, academic, professional, and formal writing.
Example 1: We have not been able to contact the supplier.
Example 2: The revised instructions have not been distributed to employees.
Example 3: I have not been confident about the decision.
What Are the Different Forms of Have Not Been?
The phrase changes according to the subject and tense of the auxiliary verb. With I, you, we, and they, use have not been. With he, she, and it, use has not been. In the past perfect, use had not been for all subjects.
- Present perfect: They have not been ready.
- Third-person singular: She has not been available.
- Past perfect: We had not been informed.
- Future perfect: By Friday, they will not have been waiting long.
- Contraction: They haven’t been ready; she hasn’t been available.
Etymology of the Phrase Have Not Been
Have comes from Old English habban, meaning “to possess” or “to hold,” and developed into an auxiliary used to form perfect tenses. Been comes from the irregular verb be, whose forms trace back to several Old English roots. Not developed from Old English nawiht, meaning “no thing,” and became the standard English negator.
How to Use Have Been Not
Have been not is valid, but it is less common and more specialized than have not been. In this order, not usually modifies a following word or phrase rather than simply negating the entire verb phrase. The construction is most natural with expressions such as not only, not merely, not necessarily, and not entirely.
Writers often use this structure to create a contrast, correction, or gradual qualification. In a simple negative sentence, however, have not been is usually clearer and more idiomatic.
Example 1: The changes have been not only expensive but also time-consuming.
Example 2: These decisions have been not entirely successful.
Example 3: The volunteers have been not merely helpful but essential to the project.
What Are the Different Forms of Have Been Not?
The phrase follows the same auxiliary patterns as other present perfect constructions. Use have been not with I, you, we, and they; use has been not with singular third-person subjects; and use had been not in the past perfect.
- Plural or first-person form: The results have been not only surprising but valuable.
- Third-person singular form: The approach has been not entirely effective.
- Past perfect form: The method had been not merely outdated but unsuitable.
In many cases, an alternative structure will sound more natural. For example, The approach has not been entirely effective is often preferable to The approach has been not entirely effective. The second version is possible when the writer wants to emphasize the qualification.
Etymology of the Phrase Have Been Not
Have been not is not a separate historical word. It is a modern combination of the auxiliary have, the participle been, and the negative adverb not. Its unusual word order results from placing not directly before a following modifier for emphasis or contrast.
Related Concepts
Understanding auxiliary verbs and negative placement makes the difference between these two phrases much easier to recognize.
- Present perfect tense: The present perfect combines have or has with a past participle. It connects a past event or condition with the present.
- Auxiliary verbs: Helping verbs such as have, has, and had help form tense, questions, and negatives.
- Negative adverbs: Not generally follows the first auxiliary verb, as in have not finished or has not arrived.
- Correlative conjunctions: Structures such as not only…but also explain why have been not can be natural in a contrastive sentence.
Examples from Media and Literature
The standard phrase have not been appears frequently in journalism, nonfiction, fiction, and everyday dialogue. The less common have been not is generally reserved for deliberate contrast or qualification.
- News writing: “The proposals have not been approved by the committee.” This direct structure is typical of reports and official announcements.
- Documentary narration: “Researchers have not been able to verify the original claim.” The phrase describes an unresolved situation.
- Fictional dialogue: “We have not been honest with one another.” This form sounds natural in conversation and dramatic writing.
- Literary-style description: “The travelers have not been welcome in the village.” The phrase describes a continuing social condition.
- Formal commentary: “The reforms have been not only ambitious but also controversial.” Here, have been not works because not only introduces a paired contrast.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct phrase to complete each sentence: have not been or have been not.
- The documents _______ signed by all the participants.
- The results _______ only unexpected but also highly informative.
- We _______ notified about the schedule change.
- The repairs _______ entirely successful.
- The new guidelines _______ available to the public.
Answer Key
- have not been — The documents have not been signed by all the participants.
- have been not — The results have been not only unexpected but also highly informative.
- have not been — We have not been notified about the schedule change.
- have been not — The repairs have been not entirely successful. In ordinary writing, “The repairs have not been entirely successful” is usually smoother.
- have not been — The new guidelines have not been available to the public.
Have Not Been Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Have not existed | Have not been present or real. |
| Have not remained | Have not continued in the same condition or place. |
| Have failed to be | Have not met the description or condition that follows. |
| Have never been | Have not been at any time in the past. |
Have Been Not Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Have not been | The ordinary alternative for expressing a simple negative. |
| Have been anything but | Have been very different from the description that follows. |
| Have been far from | Have not been close to having a particular quality. |
| Have been not merely | Have had a quality that goes beyond the limited description that follows. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “have not been” correct?
Yes. Have not been is the standard and most natural negative form of the present perfect verb be for subjects such as I, you, we, and they.
Question 2: Is “have been not” grammatically correct?
Yes, but it is less common. It is most natural when not begins a larger phrase, particularly not only, not merely, or not entirely. For a simple negative, use have not been.
Question 3: Should I write “they have not been” or “they have been not”?
In most situations, write they have not been. Use they have been not only when the sentence requires a contrastive or emphatic modifier, as in “They have been not only reliable but also innovative.”
Conclusion
Have not been is the correct choice for ordinary negative statements, while have been not is reserved mainly for emphasis, qualification, or contrastive structures such as not only…but also. Place not after have unless it introduces a specific following phrase. Pro Tip: Using the natural word order in professional writing makes your sentences clearer and protects your credibility.
