It Has Always Been vs. It Has Been Always – Which is Correct?
The standard and natural phrase is “it has always been.” “It has been always” is grammatically possible in highly marked, poetic, or emphatic contexts, but it sounds awkward in ordinary American English. Place the adverb “always” before “been” in normal present-perfect sentences in prose today.
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It Has Always Been or It Has Been Always – Which Is Correct?
“It has always been” is the normal, fluent word order in American English. The adverb always usually appears between the auxiliary verb has and the past participle been.
“It has been always” is not necessarily impossible, but it is highly unusual in contemporary prose. It may appear in poetic, archaic, translated, or strongly emphatic writing. In everyday speech, academic writing, business communication, and journalism, “it has always been” is the better choice.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the auxiliary sandwich test: place always between the helping verb and the main verb. In “it has always been,” has is the helping verb and been is the main verb form, so always fits naturally in the middle.
Compare the ordinary pattern with the marked pattern:
- Natural: It has always been important.
- Unusual: It has been always important.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| It has always been | Present-perfect verb phrase with an adverb | A condition has existed continuously or repeatedly up to the present | It has always been my favorite book. |
| It has been always | Marked present-perfect verb phrase with an adverb | The same general meaning, but with unusual word order | In the poem, it has been always thus. |
How to Use “It Has Always Been”
Use “it has always been” to describe a state, fact, situation, or identity that began in the past and remains true or relevant now. It commonly introduces an adjective, noun phrase, or prepositional phrase.
The construction follows this pattern:
- It has always been + adjective: It has always been difficult.
- It has always been + noun phrase: It has always been a mystery.
- It has always been + prepositional phrase: It has always been in the family.
This phrasing is neutral and natural in casual conversation, professional writing, formal essays, and public communication. It can refer to a personal belief, a long-standing condition, or a fact that has remained unchanged.
Example 1: It has always been important to review the details carefully.
Example 2: It has always been her dream to open a restaurant.
Example 3: It has always been difficult to predict how the market will respond.
Etymology of the phrase “It Has Always Been”
The phrase combines several very old English elements. It developed from an Old English demonstrative pronoun used for a thing or situation. Has is the third-person singular form of have, which comes from Old English habban. Been is the past participle of be, a verb formed from several ancient Germanic roots. Always developed from the expression “all ways,” which gradually came to mean “at all times.”
How to Use “It Has Been Always”
“It has been always” has the same basic meaning as “it has always been,” but its word order is marked. In modern American English, placing always after been often sounds stiff, archaic, poetic, or influenced by another language.
The phrase may work when a writer deliberately wants an old-fashioned or lyrical rhythm. It can also appear when always is treated as an afterthought or is separated by punctuation for emphasis. Even then, “it has always been” is usually clearer.
Example 1: In the old song, it has been always thus.
Example 2: The struggle has been, always, a test of patience.
Example 3: In the narrator’s deliberately archaic style, it has been always the same.
Etymology of the phrase “It Has Been Always”
“It has been always” uses the same words and historical roots as “it has always been.” The difference is primarily one of word order. Earlier varieties of English allowed greater flexibility in adverb placement, and poetic writing still sometimes preserves that flexibility. Contemporary standard prose generally favors the position between the auxiliary verb and the main verb: “has always been.”
Related Concepts
Understanding adverb placement and the present perfect makes the difference between these two phrases much easier to recognize.
- Adverb placement: Frequency adverbs such as always, often, and never commonly appear after an auxiliary verb and before the main verb: “has always known” and “will never forget.”
- Present perfect: The present perfect uses has or have plus a past participle. In “has been,” has is the auxiliary and been is the past participle of be.
- Stative verb: The verb be often describes a condition or identity rather than an action. “It has always been useful” describes a continuing state.
- Marked word order: A marked construction is grammatically possible but less usual because it emphasizes style, rhythm, contrast, or an older form of expression.
Examples from Media and Literature
“It has always been” appears naturally in narration, commentary, interviews, and explanatory writing because it expresses a long-standing truth or condition.
- Literary narration: “It has always been a place of secrets” creates the sense that the setting has had this character throughout the narrator’s memory.
- Film dialogue: “It has always been about trust” presents trust as the central issue over the entire history of a relationship.
- News analysis: “It has always been difficult for small businesses to secure affordable financing” describes a continuing economic challenge.
- Documentary commentary: “It has always been part of the community’s identity” links a present tradition to its historical roots.
- Historical writing: “It has always been understood as a symbol of independence” describes a long-standing interpretation.
Practice Exercises
Choose the more natural phrase, it has always been or it has been always, to complete each sentence. In ordinary modern prose, choose the standard word order unless the sentence clearly calls for a poetic or deliberately archaic style.
- __________ a difficult question for researchers to answer.
- She says that __________ her favorite part of the job.
- In the traditional ballad, __________ so.
- __________ closely connected to the town’s history.
- The director explained that __________ about finding a new perspective.
Answer Key
- It has always been a difficult question for researchers to answer.
- She says that it has always been her favorite part of the job.
- In the traditional ballad, it has been always so. This marked order suits the poetic style, although “it has always been so” is standard prose.
- It has always been closely connected to the town’s history.
- The director explained that it has always been about finding a new perspective.
“It Has Always Been” Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| It has consistently been | It has remained the same without significant interruption or variation. |
| It has long been | It has been true or present for a considerable period. |
| It has traditionally been | It has been true according to an established custom or tradition. |
| It has invariably been | It has been true without exception; this wording is formal. |
“It Has Been Always” Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| It has always been | The standard modern alternative for expressing a continuing or repeated condition. |
| It has consistently been | It has remained true or unchanged over time. |
| It has long been | It has been true for a long period. |
| It has traditionally been | It has been associated with an established practice or belief. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “it has always been” grammatically correct?
Yes. “It has always been” is grammatically correct and is the normal word order in contemporary American English.
Question 2: Is “it has been always” wrong?
It is not always impossible, but it is unusual and stylistically marked. It may occur in poetry, archaic writing, or a sentence designed for special emphasis. Use “it has always been” in standard professional and academic writing.
Question 3: Why does “always” come before “been”?
Always is a frequency adverb. When a sentence has an auxiliary verb, frequency adverbs commonly appear after the auxiliary and before the main verb or verb phrase: “has always been,” “will always remember,” and “can always help.”
Question 4: Can I use “it has always been” in formal writing?
Yes. The phrase is suitable for formal writing, including reports, essays, business documents, journalism, and research discussions.
Question 5: Does “it has always been” mean the situation is still true?
Usually, yes. The present perfect connects a past condition with the present. Context can sometimes suggest that the condition has recently changed, but the phrase normally implies continuing relevance.
Conclusion
“It has always been” is the correct and natural choice for nearly all modern American English contexts. “It has been always” can be understood and may serve a deliberate poetic or archaic purpose, but it sounds awkward in ordinary prose. Pro Tip: Use the standard word order in professional communication to make your writing sound fluent, precise, and polished.
