There Have Been or There Has Been? Clear Grammar Guide for Learners (2026)

Many English learners stop for a second when they want to talk about the past and say something exists.
A small question pops up in the mind: Should I say “there has been” or “there have been”?

This confusion is very common.
Even students who speak English well feel unsure here.

The reason is simple.
Both phrases look almost the same.

Both talk about something that existed before now.
Both use “there,” which does not clearly show singular or plural.

But English has a clear logic behind this grammar.
Once you understand that logic, this topic becomes easy and even natural.

This topic matters a lot in daily English.
People use these phrases when talking about news, problems, changes, events, mistakes, and experiences.
You hear them at work, in class, in movies, and in normal conversations.

After reading this lesson, you will clearly know:

• when to use there has been
• when to use there have been
• why one is correct and the other is wrong
• how to avoid common mistakes
• how to sound confident when speaking

Think of this lesson as a friendly classroom talk.
Simple words.
Clear examples.
No stress.
By the end, this grammar point will finally make sense.

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What Does “There Has Been” Mean?

“There has been” is used to talk about one thing that existed or happened at some time before now.

It is part of the present perfect tense.
The tense connects the past with the present.

Simple meaning:
Something happened before, and it still matters now.

When to use it

Use there has been when the noun after it is:

• singular
• uncountable

Grammar rule

• “There” is a dummy subject.
• “Has” is used with singular nouns.
• “Been” is the past participle of “be”.

Structure:
There + has + been + singular noun

Examples

• There has been a problem with the internet.
• There has been an accident on the road.
• There has been a change in the schedule.
• There has been a delay in the flight.
• There has been a meeting this morning.
• There has been bad weather all week.
• There has been too much noise outside.

Common learner confusion

Many learners think “there” controls the verb.
It does not.

The verb depends on the noun after “been,” not on “there.”

Wrong thinking:
“There is only one ‘there,’ so I use has.”

Correct thinking:
“Look at the noun. Is it one or many?”

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What Does “There Have Been” Mean?

“There have been” is used to talk about more than one thing that existed or happened before now.

It also uses the present perfect tense.

Simple meaning:
Many things happened in the past, and they are important now.

When to use it

Use there have been when the noun after it is:

• plural
• countable and more than one

Grammar rule

• “Have” is used with plural nouns.
• The structure stays the same except for the verb.

Structure:
There + have + been + plural noun

Examples

• There have been many problems today.
• There have been several changes this year.
• There have been two accidents on this road.
• There have been a lot of complaints.
• There have been many students absent.
• There have been some delays recently.
• There have been new rules added.

Common learner confusion

Some learners use “has” because “there” feels singular.
Others always use “have” because they hear it often.

Both are mistakes.

Always check the noun after “been.”
That noun decides everything.

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Difference Between There Has Been and There Have Been

This difference is small, but very important.

It is not about tense.
Both use the same tense.

It is about number.

Simple comparison table

Point	There has been	There have been
Noun type	Singular / uncountable	Plural
Verb used	Has	Have
Meaning	One thing happened	Many things happened
Grammar focus	Singular noun	Plural noun

Usage difference

• Use there has been for one situation, one event, or one issue.
• Use there have been for multiple events or repeated issues.

Grammar logic

English verbs must agree with the real subject.
In these sentences, the real subject comes after “been.”

Not “there.”
Not “has” or “have.”
The noun decides.

Sentence structure difference

• There has been a mistake.
• There have been mistakes.

Only one letter changes, but the meaning changes.

Meaning comparison

• “There has been a mistake”
  One mistake happened.
• “There have been mistakes”
  More than one mistake happened.

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Grammar Rules You Must Remember

Rule one

Use has with singular or uncountable nouns.

Example:
There has been a fire in the building.

Rule two

Use have with plural nouns.

Example:
There have been fires in this area.

Rule three

Ignore the word “there.”
Focus on the noun after “been.”

Example:
There have been many reasons for this decision.

Rule four

The tense stays present perfect.
Only the verb changes.

Example:
There has been progress, but there have been challenges too.

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Common Mistakes Students Make

Mistakes happen because English sentence order feels strange to many learners.

In many languages, the verb comes before the subject clearly.
English hides the real subject here.

Common wrong sentences

• ❌ There has been many problems.
• ❌ There have been a meeting.
• ❌ There has been two reasons.

Correct versions

• ✅ There have been many problems.
• ✅ There has been a meeting.
• ✅ There have been two reasons.

Why mistakes happen

• Learners focus on “there.”
• Learners forget to check the noun.
• Learners try to guess instead of checking number.

Easy correction tips

• Pause for one second.
• Find the noun.
• Ask: one or many?
• Choose has or have.

That’s it.

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Easy Trick to Remember the Difference

Here is a classroom-friendly trick.

Imagine pointing with your finger.

• If you can point to one thing, use has.
• If you point to many things, use have.

Real-life logic:

• One chair → has
• Many chairs → have

Example:

• There has been one complaint.
• There have been three complaints.

This simple picture in your mind can save you every time.

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Daily Life Examples

These are natural sentences people really say.

• There has been a power cut again.
• There have been too many delays today.
• There has been a strange smell in the room.
• There have been lots of calls for you.
• There has been an update on the app.
• There have been changes in the plan.
• There has been a misunderstanding.
• There have been several meetings this week.
• There has been heavy traffic all morning.

Try saying them out loud.
That helps a lot.

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Practice Section

Choose the correct option.

1. There ___ been a problem with my phone.
   (has / have)
2. There ___ been many questions about this topic.
   (has / have)
3. There ___ been an error in the report.
   (has / have)
4. There ___ been several accidents today.
   (has / have)
5. There ___ been too much noise outside.
   (has / have)

Answers

1. has
2. have
3. has
4. have
5. has

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

The difference is the noun.
Singular nouns use “has.”
Plural nouns use “have.”
The tense is the same.

Can we use these forms in questions?

Yes.
Has there been a problem?
Have there been any changes?

Are these forms formal or informal?

They are neutral.
You can use them in speaking and writing.

Can we use them in negative sentences?

Yes.
There has not been a reply.
There have not been any updates.

Is “there has been” present or past?

It is present perfect.
It connects past events to now.

Why do learners confuse this topic so much?

Because the real subject comes later.
Once you focus on the noun, it becomes easy.

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Final Conclusion

The choice between there has been and there have been is not about memorizing rules.
It is about understanding number.

Both phrases talk about past situations that matter now.
The only thing you must check is the noun that comes after “been.”

If it is one thing, use has.
If it is more than one, use have.

That’s the heart of this lesson.

Practice with real sentences.
Listen to how people speak.
Correct yourself gently.

With time, your brain will choose the right form automatically.

English grammar feels hard only when the logic is hidden.
Now the logic is clear.

Keep practicing.
You’re doing better than you think.