Learning the difference between There Has Been and There Have Been is an important step toward speaking and writing clear English. These two phrases may look almost the same, but they follow different grammar rules. Choosing the correct form helps your sentences sound more natural and improves your confidence in both spoken English and formal writing.
The key to Correct Usage is understanding subject-verb agreement. Many people think the word there decides whether to use has been or have been, but that is not true. The real subject comes later in the sentence. If the noun phrase is singular or uncountable, use has been. If it is plural, use have been. This simple rule makes it much easier to avoid common grammar mistakes.
In this guide, you will learn the difference between these expressions through easy explanations, practical examples, and real-life situations. Whether you are a student, writer, business professional, or English learner, these tips will help you improve your writing skills, communication, and overall English language proficiency. By the end, using There Has Been and There Have Been correctly will feel much more natural.
There Has Been vs There Have Been at a Glance
The following table highlights the key differences between these two grammatical structures.
| Feature | There Has Been | There Have Been |
| Auxiliary Verb | Has | Have |
| Subject | Singular or uncountable noun | Plural noun |
| Tense | Present Perfect | Present Perfect |
| Used With | One person, thing, event, or idea | Multiple people, things, or events |
| Common in Everyday English | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Grammatically Correct | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
The only difference between these expressions is subject-verb agreement.
What Does “There Has Been” Mean?
Simple Definition
There has been is used to say that one person, one thing, one event, or one situation has existed or happened at some point before now.
The structure focuses on the existence or occurrence of something rather than on who performed an action.
Examples:
- There has been an accident.
- There has been a misunderstanding.
- There has been a delay.
- There has been significant progress.
- There has been one complaint.
In each sentence, the noun following been is singular or uncountable.
Grammar Structure
The grammatical formula is:
There + has + been + singular noun
Examples:
- There has been a problem.
- There has been a meeting.
- There has been one solution.
- There has been an increase.
- There has been a discussion.
Because the nouns are singular, has is the correct auxiliary verb.
When to Use “There Has Been”
Singular Nouns
Whenever the noun after been is singular, use there has been.
Examples:
- There has been a fire.
- There has been a change.
- There has been an improvement.
- There has been one visitor.
- There has been a misunderstanding.
Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns always take singular verbs.
Examples:
- There has been rain.
- There has been progress.
- There has been confusion.
- There has been traffic.
- There has been information released.
Although these nouns do not refer to a single object, they are grammatically singular.
One Event
Examples:
- There has been one earthquake this month.
- There has been a conference today.
- There has been an important announcement.
- There has been a ceremony.
- There has been a major update.
One Problem
Examples:
- There has been a technical issue.
- There has been a scheduling conflict.
- There has been an error in the report.
- There has been a misunderstanding between the teams.
- There has been a communication problem.
One Change
Examples:
- There has been a policy change.
- There has been a leadership transition.
- There has been an improvement in quality.
- There has been a price increase.
- There has been a noticeable difference.
What Does “There Have Been” Mean?
Simple Definition
There have been is used when referring to more than one person, thing, event, or occurrence.
Like there has been, it describes existence or occurrence, but the subject is plural.
Examples:
- There have been many changes.
- There have been several meetings.
- There have been numerous complaints.
- There have been two accidents.
- There have been multiple updates.
Grammar Structure
The basic structure is:
There + have + been + plural noun
Examples:
- There have been many problems.
- There have been several visitors.
- There have been multiple discussions.
- There have been three conferences.
- There have been numerous improvements.
Since the nouns are plural, have is required.
When to Use “There Have Been”
Plural Countable Nouns
Examples:
- There have been many students.
- There have been several books published.
- There have been multiple requests.
- There have been numerous visitors.
- There have been five meetings.
Multiple Events
Examples:
- There have been many storms.
- There have been several earthquakes.
- There have been repeated delays.
- There have been two celebrations.
- There have been numerous announcements.
Several Changes
Examples:
- There have been many improvements.
- There have been several revisions.
- There have been significant developments.
- There have been multiple corrections.
- There have been important discoveries.
Groups of People
Examples:
- There have been many volunteers.
- There have been several candidates.
- There have been hundreds of participants.
- There have been dozens of teachers.
- There have been thousands of visitors.
The Main Difference Between There Has Been and There Have Been
The difference is surprisingly simple.
The verb does not agree with the word “there.”
Instead, it agrees with the noun that comes after “been.”
This rule applies consistently in English grammar.
Singular Subjects
Use there has been when the noun is singular.
Examples:
- There has been a mistake.
- There has been an accident.
- There has been a visitor.
- There has been one complaint.
- There has been a solution.
Notice that each noun is singular.
Plural Subjects
Use there have been with plural nouns.
Examples:
- There have been many mistakes.
- There have been several accidents.
- There have been numerous visitors.
- There have been five complaints.
- There have been many solutions.
Again, the verb matches the plural noun.
Uncountable Nouns
Many learners incorrectly assume uncountable nouns require have because they refer to large amounts.
That is incorrect.
Uncountable nouns are grammatically singular.
Examples:
- There has been progress.
- There has been research.
- There has been evidence.
- There has been furniture delivered.
- There has been equipment installed.
All of these require has.
Compound Subjects
Compound subjects sometimes create confusion.
Consider this sentence:
- There has been a teacher and several students waiting.
Because the first noun (teacher) is singular, many native speakers naturally use has in conversation.
However, formal grammar generally prefers agreement with the complete compound subject.
Formal example:
- There have been a teacher and several students waiting.
In everyday English, especially in speech, the first version is also commonly heard because speakers often choose the verb before reaching the second noun.
Grammar Rules You Should Know
Understanding these grammar principles will help you use there has been and there have been confidently.
Present Perfect Tense
Both expressions belong to the present perfect tense.
Structure:
has/have + been
The present perfect connects the past with the present.
Examples:
- There has been a change.
- There have been several changes.
Both describe situations that remain relevant now.
Subject -Verb Agreement
This is the most important rule.
The auxiliary verb agrees with the noun after been, not with there.
| Noun | Correct Form |
| a problem | There has been |
| one student | There has been |
| progress | There has been |
| many problems | There have been |
| several students | There have been |
| numerous updates | There have been |
Countable vs Uncountable Nouns
Knowing whether a noun is countable or uncountable helps determine the correct verb.
Countable Nouns
Countable nouns can be singular or plural.
Examples:
- student
- chair
- meeting
- report
- computer
Singular:
- There has been a meeting.
Plural:
- There have been several meetings.
Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns always take singular verbs.
Examples:
- information
- advice
- equipment
- research
- traffic
- knowledge
- furniture
- progress
Correct examples:
- There has been new information.
- There has been heavy traffic.
- There has been valuable research.
Never write:
- ❌ There have been information.
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns refer to groups acting as one unit.
Examples include:
- team
- committee
- family
- government
- audience
In American English, these nouns are usually treated as singular.
Examples:
- There has been a committee meeting.
- There has been a team discussion.
However, if the emphasis is on individual members acting separately (more common in British English), plural agreement may occasionally appear in other sentence structures.
There Has Been vs There Have Been Comparison Table
The table below provides a quick reference for choosing the correct expression.
| Situation | There Has Been | There Have Been |
| One student | ✔ | ✘ |
| Two students | ✘ | ✔ |
| One meeting | ✔ | ✘ |
| Several meetings | ✘ | ✔ |
| Water | ✔ | ✘ |
| Traffic | ✔ | ✘ |
| Many problems | ✘ | ✔ |
| Several updates | ✘ | ✔ |
| One complaint | ✔ | ✘ |
| Numerous complaints | ✘ | ✔ |
This simple rule applies almost every time:
- Singular or uncountable noun → There has been
- Plural noun → There have been
Mastering this pattern will help you avoid one of the most common subject-verb agreement mistakes in English.
Examples in Everyday English
The best way to master there has been or there have been is to see how native speakers use these expressions in everyday situations. The examples below show how subject-verb agreement works across different contexts.
Conversation
Everyday conversations frequently use both structures to describe recent events or situations.
Examples with there has been:
- There has been a change in the schedule.
- There has been a misunderstanding.
- There has been a delay with the delivery.
- There has been an unexpected visitor.
- There has been a problem with my internet connection.
Examples with there have been:
- There have been several phone calls for you.
- There have been many changes recently.
- There have been a lot of questions about the project.
- There have been three power outages this week.
- There have been many improvements since last year.
School
Teachers, students, and administrators often use these expressions in academic settings.
Examples:
- There has been a new homework policy.
- There has been an update to the syllabus.
- There has been one absence today.
- There have been several classroom discussions.
- There have been many excellent presentations.
- There have been numerous improvements in student performance.
- There has been positive feedback from parents.
Business
Business communication often uses the present perfect to discuss developments, reports, and ongoing situations.
Examples:
- There has been a significant increase in sales.
- There has been a delay in production.
- There has been an issue with the software.
- There have been several customer complaints.
- There have been multiple meetings this week.
- There have been important policy updates.
- There has been steady growth over the past year.
News
Journalists regularly use these structures to report events.
Examples:
- There has been a major announcement from the government.
- There has been heavy rainfall across the region.
- There have been several accidents on the highway.
- There have been protests in multiple cities.
- There has been a decline in inflation.
- There have been record-breaking temperatures this summer.
Travel
Travel-related situations provide many opportunities to use both expressions.
Examples:
- There has been a flight delay.
- There has been bad weather at the airport.
- There have been several flight cancellations.
- There have been changes to the train schedule.
- There has been increased security.
- There have been many tourists visiting the city.
Healthcare
Healthcare professionals often describe recent developments using the present perfect.
Examples:
- There has been a rise in vaccinations.
- There has been significant medical progress.
- There have been several new treatments introduced.
- There have been improvements in patient care.
- There has been an increase in public awareness.
- There have been multiple research studies published.
Technology
Technology evolves quickly, making these expressions especially useful.
Examples:
- There has been a software update.
- There has been a security improvement.
- There have been several bug fixes.
- There have been new feature releases.
- There has been an increase in cloud storage capacity.
- There have been many cybersecurity threats reported this year.
Common Mistakes
Even advanced English learners make mistakes with there has been and there have been. Most errors happen because the speaker focuses on the word there instead of the real subject.
Understanding these common mistakes will help you avoid them.
Matching the Verb with “There”
One of the biggest misconceptions is that there determines the verb.
Incorrect:
- ❌ There have been a problem.
Correct:
- ✔ There has been a problem.
Remember:
The verb agrees with problem, not there.
Confusing Singular and Plural Nouns
Always identify whether the noun is singular or plural.
Incorrect:
- ❌ There has been many questions.
Correct:
- ✔ There have been many questions.
Incorrect:
- ❌ There have been one mistake.
Correct:
- ✔ There has been one mistake.
Using “Has” with Plural Nouns
This mistake is extremely common.
Incorrect examples:
- ❌ There has been several updates.
- ❌ There has been five meetings.
- ❌ There has been many complaints.
Correct versions:
- ✔ There have been several updates.
- ✔ There have been five meetings.
- ✔ There have been many complaints.
Using “Have” with Singular Nouns
The opposite mistake also occurs.
Incorrect:
- ❌ There have been a solution.
Correct:
- ✔ There has been a solution.
Incorrect:
- ❌ There have been an improvement.
Correct:
- ✔ There has been an improvement.
Forgetting That Uncountable Nouns Are Singular
Many uncountable nouns refer to large amounts, but they still take singular verbs.
Correct examples:
- There has been progress.
- There has been research.
- There has been equipment delivered.
- There has been information released.
- There has been advice provided.
Incorrect examples:
- ❌ There have been progress.
- ❌ There have been information.
Special Cases
Although the grammar rule is straightforward, a few situations deserve extra attention.
Lists Beginning with a Singular Noun
Consider this sentence:
- There has been a teacher and several students waiting outside.
Many native speakers naturally say has because the first noun is singular.
However, in carefully edited formal writing, many grammar guides recommend:
- There have been a teacher and several students waiting outside.
This reflects agreement with the complete compound subject.
In everyday speech, either construction may be heard, but in formal writing it is best to revise the sentence for clarity:
- A teacher and several students have been waiting outside.
Mixed Subjects
Sometimes singular and plural nouns appear together.
Example:
- There has been one meeting and several follow-up discussions.
To avoid awkward agreement, many writers simply rewrite the sentence.
Better:
- There has been one meeting, followed by several discussions.
Clear writing is often better than forcing a complicated grammatical structure.
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns also follow normal subject-verb agreement.
Singular:
- There has been someone at the door.
- There has been nobody here today.
- There has been everyone involved.
Plural:
- There have been several people waiting.
- There have been many applicants.
- There have been few opportunities recently.
Tips for Choosing the Correct Form
If you ever hesitate between there has been and there have been, follow these practical steps.
- Ignore the word “there.” It is only an introductory word.
- Find the noun after “been.”
- Ask whether the noun is singular, plural, or uncountable.
- Use “has” with singular and uncountable nouns.
- Use “have” with plural nouns.
- Read the sentence aloud. Native-like rhythm often makes the correct form sound obvious.
- When in doubt, identify the true subject before choosing the verb.
A simple memory trick is:
The noun decides—not “there.”
Read More: In or Within: What’s the Difference?
Real-World Usage
The structures there has been and there have been appear in almost every type of English writing because they are useful for introducing information.
Newspapers
Examples:
- There has been a major breakthrough in cancer research.
- There have been several aftershocks following the earthquake.
Journalists often use these structures to summarize events.
Business Reports
Examples:
- There has been steady revenue growth this quarter.
- There have been improvements in customer satisfaction.
- There has been increased investment.
- There have been several operational changes.
These phrases help present business developments objectively.
Academic Writing
Researchers frequently write:
- There has been considerable interest in this topic.
- There have been numerous studies examining the issue.
- There has been growing evidence supporting the theory.
- There have been significant advances in artificial intelligence.
Academic writing often uses these expressions to review previous research.
Government Announcements
Official notices commonly include:
- There has been a policy update.
- There has been increased funding.
- There have been changes to immigration rules.
- There have been new safety regulations introduced.
Everyday Conversation
Native speakers naturally use these expressions every day.
Examples:
- There has been a change of plans.
- There have been lots of phone calls.
- There has been some confusion.
- There have been many visitors today.
Email Communication
Professional emails often begin with these structures.
Examples:
- There has been an issue with your order.
- There have been updates to the schedule.
- There has been a delay in processing your request.
- There have been several inquiries regarding the event.
Conclusion:
Understanding the difference between There Has Been and There Have Been is a simple but valuable English grammar skill. The correct choice depends on the subject that follows the verb, not on the word there. Once you remember this rule, it becomes much easier to build clear and grammatically correct sentences.
Regular practice and reading real-life examples will help you use these expressions naturally in both spoken English and writing. Whether you are writing an email, a report, or having an everyday conversation, using the correct form makes your communication sound more fluent, professional, and confident.
FAQs:
1. What is the difference between There Has Been and There Have Been?
There Has Been is used with singular or uncountable nouns, while There Have Been is used with plural nouns. The noun after the verb determines which form is correct.
2. Why doesn’t the word there control the verb?
The word there is only a grammatical placeholder. The real subject comes later in the sentence, and that subject decides whether to use has been or have been.
3. Can I use There Has Been with uncountable nouns?
Yes. There Has Been is correct with uncountable nouns such as progress, traffic, rain, or information because they are treated as singular.
4. Are There Has Been and There Have Been used in everyday English?
Yes. Both expressions are very common in spoken English, formal writing, emails, news reports, and everyday conversations to describe events or situations that started in the past and are still relevant now.
5. How can I remember which one to use?
Ignore the word there and look at the noun that follows the verb. If it is singular, use There Has Been. If it is plural, use There Have Been. This simple habit will help you choose the correct form every time.
