There Have Been or There Has Been? 🤔 Which Is Correct (and Why It Matters)

Ever paused mid-sentence and wondered, “Should I say there have been or there has been?”
You’re not alone. Even fluent English speakers mix these up. The good news? Once you understand how subjects and verbs truly connect in English, you’ll never second-guess this again.

This guide breaks it all down—clearly, practically, and with real-life examples you can apply instantly.

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Understanding the Grammar Behind “There Have Been” and “There Has Been”

Before we dive into the rules, let’s start with the structure.

The phrase “there has been” or “there have been” belongs to the present perfect tense, which connects the past to the present. It describes actions or states that began earlier and are still relevant now.

Example:

• ✅ There has been a change in policy.
• ✅ There have been several updates this week.

In both cases, “been” is the past participle of “be”, and “has/have” is the helping verb showing tense and agreement with the subject.

But here’s the key: the real subject isn’t “there.” It’s the noun that comes after.

Let’s unpack that next.

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What the Present Perfect Tense Really Means

The present perfect tense expresses a link between something that happened in the past and matters in the present. It uses has/have + past participle.

Here’s the pattern:

Subject + has/have + been + complement

Examples:

• She has been late twice this week.
• They have been busy preparing for exams.

In our case, the subject is hidden behind “there.” So instead of “She has been,” we get “There has been.”

This tense suggests continuity, change, or accumulated experience. For instance:

Example	Meaning
There has been an increase in prices.	The rise started earlier and continues now.
There have been many complaints.	People complained before, and complaints continue.

So, whenever you say “There has been” or “There have been”, you’re hinting at something ongoing or still relevant.

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When to Use “There Has Been”

Use “has been” with singular subjects or uncountable nouns.

✅ Examples:

• There has been a problem with the system.
• There has been an accident on the highway.
• There has been confusion about the schedule.

Why?

Because “has” agrees with singular nouns or uncountable nouns (like water, information, or money).

Here’s a quick reference table:

Type of Subject	Correct Form	Example
Singular noun	has been	There has been a delay.
Uncountable noun	has been	There has been progress.
Third-person singular pronoun	has been	There has been something odd.

💡 Pro Tip: If you can replace your noun with “it,” you’ll likely need “has been.”
Example: “There has been a change.” → “It has been a change.” ✅

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When to Use “There Have Been”

Use “have been” with plural subjects or first/second person pronouns (we, you, they).

✅ Examples:

• There have been many reports of delays.
• There have been several meetings this month.
• There have been changes to the schedule.

Here’s how it works:

Subject	Correct Verb	Example
I, you, we, they	have been	There have been issues recently.
Plural nouns	have been	There have been announcements.

Notice how “have been” connects to plural ideas—more than one event, change, or object.

Tip: If you can replace your noun with “they,” it’s plural—use “have been.”
Example: “There have been updates.” → “They have been updates.” ✅

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How to Identify the Real Subject

The tricky part is that “there” isn’t the real subject—it’s a dummy subject used to introduce something.
The real subject comes after the verb.

Let’s test this:

• There has been a problem. → Real subject = problem (singular)
• There have been many issues. → Real subject = issues (plural)

So, don’t match the verb with “there.” Match it with the real noun that follows.

Example Breakdown:

Sentence	Real Subject	Correct Form
There has been an error.	error (singular)	has been
There have been mistakes.	mistakes (plural)	have been
There has been progress.	progress (uncountable)	has been

Remember: “There” just fills the space—it doesn’t decide the verb form.

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Comparing “Had Been” (Past Perfect Tense)

The phrase “had been” shifts everything one step further back into the past. It means something happened before another past event.

✅ Examples:

• There had been a storm before we arrived.
• There had been discussions long before the decision.

Let’s compare:

Tense	Time Connection	Example
Present Perfect (has/have been)	From past to now	There have been changes recently.
Past Perfect (had been)	Before another past event	There had been changes before we arrived.

“Had been” doesn’t connect to the present—it connects one past event to another.

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Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even native speakers trip over this rule. Here are the most frequent slip-ups:

❌ Mistake #1: Mixing plural and singular

• Wrong: There has been many changes.
• Right: There have been many changes.

❌ Mistake #2: Forgetting subject-verb logic

• Wrong: There have been a problem.
• Right: There has been a problem.

❌ Mistake #3: Assuming “there” controls the verb

• Wrong: There have been confusion.
• Right: There has been confusion.

✅ Quick Fix:

Ignore “there.”
Look for the first real noun.
Ask: is it singular or plural?
Then choose “has been” or “have been.”

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Practical Examples from Real Life

Let’s look at how both forms appear naturally in conversation, writing, and media.

Context	Example
Business	“There have been several updates to our policy.”
News	“There has been an increase in fuel prices.”
Daily life	“There have been delays due to traffic.”
Customer service	“There has been a misunderstanding with your order.”
Education	“There have been new admissions this year.”

These examples show that both forms are common—but each has a distinct context.

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Formal vs. Informal Use

Both phrases fit in formal and informal English. The difference lies in tone and context, not correctness.

Context	Preferred Form	Example
Formal writing	There has been	“There has been an error in the data.”
Informal speech	There have been	“There have been a few hiccups, but it’s fine.”

Quote: “Good grammar isn’t about rules—it’s about clarity.”
— David Crystal, Linguist

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Handling Compound and Indefinite Subjects

English can be tricky when subjects mix singular and plural ideas.

Examples:

• There have been a boy and a girl waiting. → Plural sense → have been
• There has been one of the students missing. → Closest noun “one” is singular → has been

Rule:

When a sentence has a compound subject (joined by “and”), use “have been.”
When it starts with an indefinite or singular phrase (“one of,” “each of”), use “has been.”

Example	Subject Type	Correct Form
There have been apples and oranges.	Compound (plural)	have been
There has been one of the cars missing.	Indefinite (singular)	has been

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Expanded Verb Phrases: Using Adverbs

Adverbs can appear between “have/has” and “been.”

Examples:

• There has always been confusion about that rule.
• There have recently been many updates.

These modifiers add tone, frequency, or time.

Adverb	Placement	Example
always	after has/have	There has always been doubt.
recently	after have/has	There have recently been updates.
never	before been	There has never been such excitement.

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Quick Recap Table: Has Been vs. Have Been

Situation	Correct Form	Example
Singular noun	has been	There has been a problem.
Plural noun	have been	There have been problems.
Uncountable noun	has been	There has been progress.
Compound plural	have been	There have been delays and cancellations.

Shortcut Trick:
Singular → “has been”
Plural → “have been”

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Related Grammar Points

If you’re learning this rule, you might also find these useful:

• “There is” vs. “There are” – same rule, but in simple present.
  • There is a cat on the roof.
  • There are cats on the roof.
• “Has been” vs. “Was” – “has been” links to the present, “was” stays in the past.
• “Had been” vs. “Has been” – “had been” refers to a time before another past action.

All follow one consistent pattern: subject decides the verb.

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Case Study: Grammar in Real Usage

Example 1 – Business Report:

“There have been several updates to our compliance policy since January.”
✅ Correct because “updates” is plural.

Example 2 – News Report:

“There has been an explosion downtown.”
✅ Correct because “explosion” is singular.

Example 3 – Academic Writing:

“There has been significant research on climate resilience.”
✅ Correct because “research” is uncountable.

Example 4 – Daily Conversation:

“There have been times I doubted myself.”
✅ Correct because “times” is plural.

These real-world uses show how natural these phrases sound once you grasp the logic.

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FAQs

What’s the difference between “there has been” and “there have been”?

“There has been” is for singular or uncountable subjects.
“There have been” is for plural subjects.

Can I ever use both in one sentence?

Yes.
Example: There has been an increase in visitors, and there have been many positive reviews.

Why can’t we say “there has been many people”?

Because “people” is plural. You must say “There have been many people.”

Is “there had been” still correct?

Yes. It refers to an action that happened before another past action.
Example: There had been trouble before the police arrived.

How do I know which to use quickly?

Just find the first real noun:
If it’s singular → “has been.”
If it’s plural → “have been.”

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Conclusion

In English grammar, clarity begins with agreement.

Whenever you face “there have been” vs. “there has been,” ignore the word there.
Find the real subject that follows.

• If it’s singular or uncountable, use has been.
• If it’s plural, use have been.

That’s it—simple, logical, and consistent.

“Good grammar is the key to clear thought.”
— Bryan A. Garner

Keep practicing, and soon you’ll instinctively choose the right form every time.