It's one of those little linguistic quirks that can trip up even seasoned English speakers: the subtle yet significant difference between 'been' and 'being'. They both stem from the versatile verb 'to be', but their roles in a sentence paint very different pictures.
Think of 'been' as a traveler, always looking back. It's the past participle of 'be', and its primary job is to tell us about something that happened or existed at an earlier time, often in relation to the present. When you hear 'has been' or 'have been', it's usually signaling a completed action or a state that started in the past and might still be relevant now. For instance, 'I have been to Paris' means the trip to Paris is a past event, a part of my history. It's not about what I'm doing right now in Paris, but that I've experienced it at some point before.
'Been' also pops up in perfect tenses, like 'She had been feeling unwell for days' – that feeling started in the past and continued. It can also indicate a destination, as in 'He's been to the store,' implying he went there and is now back, or at least the action of going is complete.
Now, 'being' is the active, present-moment participant. It's the present participle, and it's all about what's happening now or a current state of existence. When you see 'is being' or 'are being', it's often describing an ongoing action or behavior. 'He is being very quiet today' suggests his current behavior is unusual or noteworthy. It's about his present state of being.
'Being' also captures the essence of existence itself. It can describe a nature or a characteristic that's temporary or a condition. The reference material points out that 'being ill' in the sentence 'She wasn't able to go because of being ill' describes the condition that prevented her from going. It's the state of illness that's the focus, a current impediment.
So, to sum it up, 'been' often points to a past experience or a completed action, a part of a timeline that has already unfolded. 'Being', on the other hand, is about the present, about ongoing actions, current states, or the very nature of existence at this moment. It's like the difference between looking at a photo album ('been') and watching a live video feed ('being'). Understanding this distinction can really help your English flow more naturally, making your sentences sing with clarity.
