There Has Been or Have Been: A Complete Grammar Guide

Introduction

English grammar can sometimes feel confusing even when the words look familiar. One common example is the difference between there has been and there have been. Both expressions are correct but they are used in different situations. Understanding when to use each phrase can help you speak more naturally and write better sentences.

Many English learners make mistakes with these expressions because they focus on the word there instead of the noun that follows it. The good news is that the rule is simple once you understand how subject-verb agreement works.

There has been is generally used with singular nouns and uncountable nouns. There have been is used with plural nouns. Both expressions belong to the present perfect tense and often describe something that happened in the past but remains relevant to the present.

For example:

There has been a problem with the computer.

There have been several problems with the computer.

The first sentence refers to one problem. The second sentence refers to multiple problems. This small difference changes the verb.

In this article you will learn the meaning of both expressions and how to use them correctly. You will also find examples from everyday conversations and professional writing. The guide includes a comparison table and frequently asked questions to make the topic easier to understand.

What Does There Has Been Mean?

There has been is a grammatical expression used to describe the existence of something or an event that happened before now. It is commonly used when talking about a situation that still matters in the present.

The phrase follows the present perfect structure.

There + has + been + noun

For example:

There has been a mistake.

There has been an accident.

There has been a change in the schedule.

There has been some progress.

In these sentences the speaker explains that something happened or existed before the current moment.

The expression is particularly useful when the exact time of an event is not important. Instead the speaker wants to communicate the result or current situation.

Imagine that you are waiting for a package. You receive a message from the delivery company saying there has been a delay. The delay happened earlier but it affects your current plans.

Another example is a workplace conversation.

“There has been a change in the meeting schedule.”

This sentence tells employees that the schedule changed and that they should pay attention to the new information.

The phrase also works with uncountable nouns. Words such as information and progress do not normally take a plural form in standard English.

For example:

There has been significant progress.

There has been some confusion.

There has been new information about the project.

The important point is that has been agrees with a singular or uncountable noun.

What Does There Have Been Mean?

There have been is used when referring to multiple events or things that happened before now. It also connects those events to the present situation.

The basic structure is:

There + have + been + plural noun

Examples include:

There have been several changes.

There have been many complaints.

There have been three meetings this week.

There have been important developments.

These sentences describe more than one event or item.

For example a manager might say:

“There have been several updates to the company policy.”

The sentence explains that multiple updates have occurred. The information is relevant to employees who need to understand the current policy.

Another example comes from everyday life.

“There have been many visitors today.”

This sentence means that several people have visited a place during the day.

The phrase is also common in news reports and academic writing.

There have been several reports about the incident.

There have been significant improvements in public transportation.

There have been many studies on this subject.

In each example the noun is plural. Therefore have been is the correct choice.

Remember that have been does not mean the events are necessarily happening right now. It can describe completed events that remain important to the current situation.

There Has Been vs There Have Been: Main Differences

The main difference between there has been and there have been is the noun that follows the expression.

Use there has been with a singular noun or an uncountable noun.

Use there have been with a plural noun.

This rule applies even when the sentence contains additional words between the verb and the noun.

Consider these examples:

There has been a delay.

There have been several delays.

The first sentence refers to one delay. The second refers to more than one.

Here is a quick comparison.

Grammar	When to Use	Example
There has been	Singular noun	There has been a problem.
There has been	Uncountable noun	There has been progress.
There have been	Plural noun	There have been problems.
There have been	Multiple events	There have been three meetings.

The word there does not determine whether you should use has or have. The noun that follows the expression provides the important information.

This is why the following sentence is incorrect:

There has been many changes.

The noun changes is plural. Therefore the correct sentence is:

There have been many changes.

Similarly this sentence is incorrect:

There have been a problem.

The noun problem is singular. The correct sentence is:

There has been a problem.

A useful way to remember the difference is to identify whether the sentence refers to one thing or several things.

One thing usually takes has been.

Multiple things usually take have been.

How to Use There Has Been in Everyday English

There has been appears in everyday conversations when people describe a situation or explain something that happened.

It is especially common when the speaker wants to explain a recent event or a situation that still affects the present.

For example:

There has been a misunderstanding.

There has been a problem with my phone.

There has been a change in our plans.

There has been an improvement in the weather.

These sentences sound natural in everyday English.

Imagine that you are speaking with a friend about your weekend plans.

You might say:

“There has been a change in our plans. We are going to visit the museum instead.”

The expression helps introduce the change before explaining what happened.

It is also useful in professional communication.

There has been a delay in processing your application.

There has been an update to the system.

There has been an error in the report.

There has been a request for additional information.

These examples show how the phrase can communicate information clearly without making the sentence unnecessarily complicated.

There has been also works with uncountable nouns.

For example:

There has been a lot of discussion.

There has been considerable interest.

There has been some improvement.

There has been heavy rain.

In these sentences the nouns discussion and interest are uncountable. The phrase has been is therefore appropriate.

The expression is useful whenever you want to introduce one event or one situation that has a connection to the present.

How to Use There Have Been in Everyday English

There have been is useful when talking about multiple events or things that occurred within a period of time.

It is commonly used in conversations about work and daily activities.

For example:

There have been several meetings this week.

There have been many changes in the office.

There have been two deliveries today.

There have been some problems with the internet.

These sentences communicate that more than one event has occurred.

The expression is also useful when describing experiences.

There have been many memorable moments during the trip.

There have been several opportunities to improve the project.

There have been numerous challenges this year.

These examples show how the phrase can describe events over a period of time.

In professional writing it can be used to explain progress or problems.

There have been several improvements in customer service.

There have been changes to the company schedule.

There have been delays in the delivery process.

There have been questions about the new policy.

The phrase can also introduce information in academic writing.

There have been several studies on climate change.

There have been different interpretations of the results.

There have been significant developments in technology.

There have been many discussions about the topic.

The important thing is to make sure the noun is plural.

For example:

There have been several mistakes.

This is correct because mistakes is plural.

However:

There has been several mistakes.

This is incorrect because has been does not agree with the plural noun.

Once you understand this relationship you can use the expression confidently in many situations.

There Has Been or Have Been: Examples and Comparison Table

The following examples demonstrate how the two expressions work in different situations.

Situation	Correct Sentence
One problem	There has been a problem.
Multiple problems	There have been several problems.
One accident	There has been an accident.
Multiple accidents	There have been three accidents.
Uncountable progress	There has been progress.
Several improvements	There have been improvements.
One complaint	There has been a complaint.
Multiple complaints	There have been many complaints.
Uncountable information	There has been new information.
Several reports	There have been several reports.

These examples demonstrate that the noun determines the correct verb form.

The same rule applies when the noun appears in a longer phrase.

There has been a significant increase in demand.

There have been several increases in demand.

In the first sentence the noun increase is singular.

In the second sentence increases is plural.

The expressions can also appear in negative sentences.

There has not been a response.

There have not been any responses.

The negative form does not change the agreement rule.

The first sentence uses has because response is singular.

The second sentence uses have because responses is plural.

You can also use contractions in informal writing.

There hasn’t been a problem.

There haven’t been any problems.

These contractions are common in everyday conversation and informal messages.

However it is useful to understand the full forms first. Once you know the grammar rule the contractions become easier to use.

There Has Been vs There Have Been vs There Had Been

There has been and there have been belong to the present perfect tense. There had been belongs to the past perfect tense.

The present perfect connects an earlier event with the present.

The past perfect describes an event that happened before another past event.

For example:

There has been a change in the schedule.

This sentence describes a change that happened before now and remains relevant.

There have been several changes in the schedule.

This sentence describes multiple changes that remain relevant to the present.

Now consider:

There had been a change in the schedule before we arrived.

This sentence places the change before another event in the past.

The following table explains the difference.

Expression	Main Use	Example
There has been	Singular or uncountable situation connected to now	There has been a delay.
There have been	Multiple events connected to now	There have been several delays.
There had been	Earlier event before another past event	There had been a delay before we arrived.

The past perfect is useful when the order of past events matters.

For example:

There had been several problems before the company changed its system.

The sentence explains that the problems occurred before the system changed.

However if you simply want to describe multiple problems that have happened recently you can say:

There have been several problems recently.

The choice depends on the timeline of the sentence.

Common Mistakes With There Has Been and There Have Been

Many English learners make similar mistakes when using these expressions.

Understanding the common errors can help you avoid them.

Mistake 1: Using has been with plural nouns

Incorrect:

There has been many accidents.

Correct:

There have been many accidents.

The noun accidents is plural. Therefore have been is required.

Mistake 2: Using have been with singular nouns

Incorrect:

There have been a problem.

Correct:

There has been a problem.

The noun problem is singular.

Mistake 3: Forgetting uncountable nouns

Incorrect:

There have been some information about the event.

Correct:

There has been some information about the event.

Information is an uncountable noun in standard English.

Mistake 4: Confusing present perfect with simple past

Incorrect for a present connection:

There has been a problem yesterday.

Correct:

There was a problem yesterday.

When a sentence refers to a finished time such as yesterday you normally use the simple past.

However you can say:

There has been a problem recently.

Recently does not identify a finished past time in the same way.

Mistake 5: Using the wrong form in questions

Incorrect:

Have there been a change?

Correct:

Has there been a change?

The noun change is singular.

For a plural noun the correct question is:

Have there been any changes?

These mistakes become easier to correct when you focus on the noun and the time expression.

Frequently Asked Questions About There Has Been or Have Been

Is there has been or there have been correct?

Both expressions are grammatically correct. There has been is used with singular or uncountable nouns. There have been is used with plural nouns.

When should I use there has been?

Use there has been when describing one event or an uncountable situation.

Examples:

There has been a mistake.

There has been some progress.

There has been a delay.

When should I use there have been?

Use there have been when describing multiple events or things.

Examples:

There have been several mistakes.

There have been many changes.

There have been three meetings.

Is there has been singular or plural?

There has been is used with singular nouns and uncountable nouns.

For example:

There has been an accident.

There has been some confusion.

Is there have been singular or plural?

There have been is used with plural nouns.

For example:

There have been several accidents.

There have been many questions.

Can I say there has been many?

No. In standard formal English you should use there have been many when the following noun is plural.

Correct:

There have been many opportunities.

Incorrect:

There has been many opportunities.

Can I use there has been with uncountable nouns?

Yes. Uncountable nouns normally take singular verb forms.

Examples:

There has been information about the event.

There has been considerable progress.

There has been some damage.

What is the difference between there have been and there were?

There have been connects past events with the present.

There were describes a past situation without necessarily connecting it to the present.

For example:

There have been several meetings this week.

There were several meetings last week.

The first sentence refers to a period that may still be ongoing. The second refers to a completed period.

How do I remember the difference quickly?

Look at the noun after the expression.

One or uncountable → has been.

Plural → have been.

For example:

There has been one mistake.

There have been two mistakes.

This simple method works for most everyday sentences.

Final Thought

Understanding the difference between there has been and there have been is an important part of learning English grammar. Both expressions are used to describe events or situations that happened before now but remain connected to the present.

The main rule is simple. Use there has been with singular nouns and uncountable nouns. Use there have been with plural nouns.

There has been a change.

There have been several changes.

These examples show how a small difference in the noun changes the verb.

You should also remember that there had been is used when describing an earlier event before another past event. This helps you communicate the order of events more clearly.

With regular practice you can recognize the correct form more quickly. Read examples aloud and pay attention to the noun that follows the expression.

The more you practice these patterns the more natural your English will become. Learning this simple rule can improve your everyday conversations and make your writing clearer and more confident.