There Has Been or There Have Been: The Correct Usage

As an English teacher and writer, I’ve seen many learners and native speakers pause when choosing the right form. There Has Been or There Have Been: this common challenge appears even in advanced writing, showing how small grammatical choices shape clear expression. At first glance, they look similar, but once you dive deep into the grammar rules and context, their difference become obvious. I remember correcting essays where students often struggled to decide whether has fits a singular idea or have fits a plural one. Understanding these mechanics of language makes writing sound more natural and correct.

Understanding the Core: Singular vs. Plural Agreement

At the heart of this question lies subject-verb agreement.

• “Has” is used with singular subjects.
• “Have” is used with plural subjects.
• “Been” is the past participle of “be”, which does not change form.

This means:

• There has been → for a singular item or event.
• There have been → for multiple items or events.

Common learner mistake: Many English learners mistakenly choose based on the word immediately after “been” instead of the subject. For example:

❌ There has been many changes.
✅ There have been many changes.

The subject here is changes (plural), so “have” is correct

When to Use “There Has Been”

The phrase “there has been” is used when referring to a singular event, occurrence, or uncountable concept.

Key contexts where “there has been” is correct:

• With singular countable nouns:
  • There has been a delay in the schedule.
  • There has been a misunderstanding between the teams.
• With uncountable nouns:
  • There has been progress in negotiations.
  • There has been confusion about the deadline.
• With time references:
  • There has been a lot of rain this week.
  • There has been growth in the company over the past year.

Case Study:
In a 2024 United Nations press release, the Secretary-General stated:

“There has been significant progress in global cooperation on climate action, but challenges remain.”

Here, progress is uncountable, so “has been” is the correct choice.

When to Use “There Have Been”

The phrase “there have been” applies when talking about multiple occurrences or plural countable nouns.

Key contexts where “there have been” is correct:

• With plural nouns:
  • There have been several accidents on this road.
  • There have been delays in shipments.
• With lists of events:
  • There have been protests, debates, and discussions about the policy.
• With multiple occurrences across time:
  • There have been many growth opportunities this year.

Case Study:
In the New York Times (2023), an article on economic shifts stated:

“There have been numerous efforts to stabilize inflation, but only some have succeeded.”

The subject “efforts” is plural, making have been the correct choice.

Comparing “There Has Been” vs. “There Have Been” in Context

To see the difference clearly, let’s compare examples side by side:

Sentence with There Has Been	Sentence with There Have Been	Explanation
There has been a mistake.	There have been mistakes.	Singular vs. plural.
There has been an improvement.	There have been improvements.	One vs. multiple improvements.
There has been heavy rainfall this month.	There have been storms across the region.	Uncountable vs. plural countable.
There has been a policy change.	There have been changes in policies.	One change vs. multiple changes.

Quick tip:

• If you can replace the subject with “one thing/event”, use there has been.
• If you can replace it with “many things/events”, use there have been.

The Role of “Been” in English Grammar

The word “been” is the past participle of “be.”

Why is this important?

• It is always paired with has/have/had in perfect tenses.
• It shows that an action or state started in the past and has relevance to the present.
  

Difference between “been” and “being”:

• Been = completed state or action.
  • There has been progress.
• Being = continuous state.
  • There is being a review of the policy (awkward, rare).

Most learners confuse the two, but “there has/have been” is far more common and natural.

Affirmative, Negative, and Interrogative Uses

Both there has been and there have been can be used in affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms.

Affirmative Statements

• There has been an increase in sales.
• There have been complaints from customers.

Negative Statements

• There has not been any misunderstanding.
• There have not been enough opportunities.

Questions

• Has there been any progress?
• Have there been many accidents?

Real-world example:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO officials frequently used these forms in press conferences:

• Has there been any update on vaccine development?
• There have been multiple trials showing effectiveness.

Advanced Usage: Nuances and Common Pitfalls

Even when learners know the rules, the subtleties of real English can cause mistakes.

Contractions in everyday speech

• There has been → There’s been
• There have been → There’ve been

Example:

• Formal: There has been a misunderstanding.
• Informal: There’s been a misunderstanding.

Common learner mistakes

• ❌ There has been many people at the party.
• ✅ There have been many people at the party.
  

Tone differences

• “There has been” often sounds formal, singular, and specific.
• “There have been” often sounds broader, general, or collective.

Historical and Modern Usage Trends

The usage of these phrases has evolved.

In Literature

• In the 19th century, authors like Charles Dickens often used “there has been” to narrate singular events.
• In contrast, historical records of wars and crises often employed “there have been.”

In Corpus Data (Google Ngram Viewer)

• “There has been” peaked in usage around the mid-20th century, especially in political and academic writing.
• “There have been” has remained steady, reflecting its frequent use in describing plural events.

British vs. American English

• Both phrases are used in both dialects, with little difference.
• American English tends to use contractions more frequently: There’s been…

Practical Tips for Mastering the Difference

Here are some grammar hacks to always get it right:

• Ask yourself: Is the subject singular or plural?
• If singular or uncountable → there has been.
• If plural → there have been.

Quick Mnemonics

• “HAS = one HAS it” → one thing.
• “HAVE = many HAVE it” → many things.

Real-world scenarios to practice

• News reports (There have been protests…).
• Business updates (There has been a decline in profits…).
• Personal conversations (There’s been a misunderstanding…

Conclusion 

Mastering the use of There Has Been or There Have Been is more than a grammatical skill – it’s a key to fluent and confident communication. Many learners and even native speakers hesitate when choosing between the two, but once the grammar rules, context, and usage become familiar, the difference feels natural. “There has been” links to singular ideas or events, while “There have been” connects to plural ones. Recognizing this pattern helps you write clearly and think more precisely. Whether crafting essays, reports, or everyday conversations, this understanding strengthens how you express both time and number agreement naturally.

In practical writing and speech, mastering this structure brings depth and balance. Over the years, language has evolved, and so have these constructions, showing how adaptable English truly is. By observing real-life examples and noticing subtle trends, you begin to see how flexible expressions like these enrich communication. When you know which to use and why, hesitation fades, confidence grows, and your words sound effortless. The best writers and speakers understand that precision in small details like this separates fluent users from average ones. So, continue to practice, observe, and refine your understanding of There Has Been or There Have Been until it feels completely natural in both spoken and written English.

FAQs 

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

There has been” is used for singular nouns or events, while “There have been” is for plural nouns or multiple events.

Can I use both in one sentence?

Yes, if the context requires mentioning both singular and plural forms separately, e.g., “There has been a problem, and there have been several complaints.”

Why do English learners find these confusing?

Because both refer to past events using “been,” and learners must also match the verb form (has/have) with the subject number.

Is “There has been” only for the past?

Yes, it refers to an event that started in the past and still affects the present moment.

How can I remember which to use?

Think of “has” as singular and “have” as plural. Match the verb form to the noun following it.

Are both forms formal or casual?

Both are neutral and used in formal and informal settings; context decides tone, not the form itself.

Can “There have been” start a question?

Yes. Example: “Have there been any updates?” It’s correct and commonly used in conversation.

Do native speakers ever misuse these?

Sometimes, especially in casual speech, but in writing, most follow the correct grammatical agreement.

Is this rule the same in British and American English?

Yes, both dialects use the same rule for “There has been” and “There have been.”

What’s the best way to practice?

Read, listen, and write examples daily. Use both forms in sentences until you naturally sense when each fits best.