Have you ever paused while writing because you weren’t sure whether to use “there have been” or “there has been”? These two phrases look almost the same, but they follow different grammar rules. The difference becomes especially confusing when the noun that controls the verb appears later in the sentence.
The good news is that the rule is simpler than it seems. The key is to look past the word “there” and find the real subject of the sentence. Use “there has been” with a singular or uncountable noun, and use “there have been” with a plural noun. For example, “there has been a problem” refers to one problem, while “there have been several problems” refers to more than one.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to choose the correct form without guessing or second-guessing yourself. We’ll look at clear examples, common mistakes, tricky cases, and practical ways to remember the rule. Once you know what noun controls the verb, choosing between these two phrases becomes much easier.
There Has Been vs. There Have Been: The Quick Answer
Both there has been and there have been are grammatically correct. The difference depends on the subject that follows the verb.
The basic rule is:
- There has been + singular noun
- There has been + uncountable noun
- There have been + plural noun
| Form | Use With | 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 several problems. |
The easiest way to remember it is:
Singular or uncountable → has been
Plural → have been
So you would write:
There has been a delay.
But:
There have been several delays.
The noun changes from delay to delays, and the verb changes from has to have.
Why “There Has Been” and “There Have Been” Cause Confusion
Most English sentences put the subject before the verb.
For example:
A problem has occurred.
Several problems have occurred.
The agreement is easy to see because the subjects come first.
However, existential there constructions use a different word order:
There has been a problem.
There have been several problems.
The actual noun comes after the verb phrase. That arrangement can make writers overlook the noun that controls subject-verb agreement.
Compare the structures:
| Regular Construction | There Construction |
| A problem has occurred. | There has been a problem. |
| Several problems have occurred. | There have been several problems. |
| A change has occurred. | There has been a change. |
| Several changes have occurred. | There have been several changes. |
The sentence structure changes, but the agreement rule stays intact.
A Simple Trick That Works
When you’re unsure, mentally move the noun to the beginning of the sentence.
Take:
There has been a mistake.
Think:
A mistake has…
Because mistake is singular, has makes sense.
Now try:
There have been several mistakes.
Think:
Several mistakes have…
Because mistakes is plural, have is correct.
This trick is particularly useful when a sentence contains several nouns or a long noun phrase.
What Does “There” Mean in These Sentences?
The word there doesn’t always indicate a location.
For example:
The books are there.
Here, there refers to a place.
But:
There has been a problem.
This sentence doesn’t tell you where the problem is. Instead, there introduces something that exists or has occurred.
This is known as an existential there construction.
Compare these examples:
- The keys are there. → there refers to a location.
- There has been a problem. → there introduces an occurrence.
- There have been several changes. → there introduces multiple occurrences.
Once you recognize this structure, it becomes easier to understand why there itself doesn’t determine whether you need has or have.
When to Use “There Has Been”
Use there has been when the subject is singular or uncountable.
This includes several common types of nouns.
Singular Countable Nouns
A singular countable noun refers to one person, object, event, or idea.
Common examples include:
- problem
- mistake
- delay
- accident
- decision
- meeting
- change
- complaint
- development
- improvement
Examples:
There has been a mistake in the report.
There has been a delay in the delivery.
There has been an unexpected change in the schedule.
There has been a complaint about the service.
Each noun represents one countable thing, so has been is appropriate.
Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns can be more confusing because they describe things that aren’t normally counted as individual units.
Common examples include:
- progress
- research
- information
- advice
- evidence
- confusion
- damage
- traffic
- equipment
- money
For example:
There has been significant progress.
There has been some confusion.
There has been enough evidence to support the conclusion.
There has been considerable damage.
A common mistake is to treat an uncountable noun as plural:
❌ There have been significant progress.
The standard form is:
✅ There has been significant progress.
If you want to make the noun countable, you can use a suitable expression.
For example:
There have been several pieces of new information.
Here, pieces is plural. That’s why have been works.
Singular Indefinite Pronouns
Words such as something, nothing, anything, and everything generally take singular agreement.
Examples:
There has been something unusual.
There has been nothing new.
There has been something wrong with the system.
These subjects are singular, so has been is the correct form.
When to Use “There Have Been”
Use there have been when the subject is plural.
Examples:
There have been several mistakes in the document.
There have been many changes this year.
There have been three meetings this week.
There have been numerous complaints from customers.
The important nouns are plural:
- mistakes
- changes
- meetings
- complaints
Therefore, they take have been.
Plural Countable Nouns
Plural countable nouns are usually straightforward.
For example:
There have been several accidents this year.
There have been many improvements to the product.
There have been numerous discussions about the proposal.
There have been three attempts to solve the problem.
Even when a noun has modifiers, its number doesn’t change.
There have been several unexpected changes to the schedule.
The words several and unexpected add detail. However, changes remains the plural head noun.
There Has Been vs. There Have Been: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | There has been | There have been |
| Singular noun | ✅ | ❌ |
| Plural noun | ❌ | ✅ |
| Uncountable noun | ✅ | ❌ |
| One event | ✅ | ❌ |
| Multiple events | ❌ | ✅ |
| Example | There has been a delay. | There have been delays. |
| Example | There has been progress. | There have been improvements. |
A simple memory formula is:
One thing → has been
More than one countable thing → have been
Uncountable noun → has been
Compare:
There has been an improvement.
with:
There have been several improvements.
The change in the noun forces the change in the verb.
The Grammar Behind “Has Been” and “Have Been”
Both phrases use the present perfect.
The basic structure is:
has/have + been
For example:
She has been busy.
They have been busy.
The same structure appears after existential there:
There has been a problem.
There have been several problems.
The present perfect often connects a past event or situation with the present.
For example:
There has been a change in the schedule.
This tells the reader that a change happened before now and remains relevant to the current situation.
Similarly:
There have been several updates to the policy.
The updates occurred before the present moment, but they matter to the current discussion.
There Was vs. There Has Been
The difference between there was and there has been is mainly about tense and time perspective.
Compare:
There was a problem yesterday.
There has been a problem recently.
The first sentence uses the simple past. The second uses the present perfect.
| Form | Number | Example |
| There was | Singular | There was a problem yesterday. |
| There were | Plural | There were several problems yesterday. |
| There has been | Singular/uncountable | There has been a problem recently. |
| There have been | Plural | There have been several problems recently. |
A specific completed time often favors the simple past:
There was a meeting on Monday.
But a time period that connects to the present can work naturally with the present perfect:
There has been a meeting this week.
The choice depends on the context. Don’t treat has been as a universal replacement for was.
There Had Been: The Past Perfect Version
English also uses there had been when one past event occurred before another past event.
For example:
There had been a misunderstanding before the meeting began.
The misunderstanding happened first. The meeting began later.
The same construction works with plural nouns:
There had been several warnings before the accident occurred.
Notice that had doesn’t change for singular or plural subjects.
| Subject | Present Perfect | Past Perfect |
| Singular | There has been a problem. | There had been a problem. |
| Plural | There have been problems. | There had been problems. |
| Uncountable | There has been confusion. | There had been confusion. |
This makes had been different from has been and have been.
Tricky Cases With “There Has Been” and “There Have Been”
The basic rule works in most situations. However, certain expressions can hide the subject and make the correct choice less obvious.
“A Lot of”
The phrase a lot of doesn’t determine the verb. The noun after of does.
There has been a lot of confusion.
Confusion is uncountable.
Now compare:
There have been a lot of complaints.
Complaints is plural.
So remember:
a lot of + uncountable noun → has been
a lot of + plural noun → have been
More examples:
There has been a lot of traffic today.
There have been a lot of accidents this month.
The phrase stays the same, but the noun changes the verb.
“A Number of” vs. “The Number of”
This distinction is especially important in formal writing.
Compare:
There have been a number of complaints.
and:
The number of complaints has increased.
In the first sentence, a number of means several. It takes plural agreement.
In the second sentence, the head noun is number, which is singular.
Therefore:
There have been a number of complaints.
But:
The number of complaints has increased.
This distinction frequently appears in academic papers, reports, and business writing.
Collective Nouns
Words such as group, team, committee, family, audience, and organization refer to collections of people.
In American English, these nouns are generally treated as singular when the group acts as a unit.
For example:
There has been a committee formed to investigate the issue.
The head noun is committee, which is singular.
Consider:
There has been a group of students waiting outside.
Although students is plural, the head noun is group.
Therefore, has been is appropriate.
This is why you shouldn’t automatically choose have just because you see a plural noun.
Noun Phrases With “Of”
Long noun phrases can hide the word controlling the verb.
Consider:
There has been a series of problems.
The word problems is plural, but the head noun is series.
Therefore, has been is correct.
Now compare:
There have been several series of tests.
Here, the sentence refers to several separate series. The plural meaning requires have been.
The key lesson is simple:
Don’t choose the verb based only on the noun closest to it. Find the head noun.
Compound Subjects With “And”
When two subjects are joined by and, they generally form a plural subject.
For example:
There have been delays and cancellations.
Both delays and cancellations contribute to the subject.
Another example:
There have been a rise and a fall in prices.
The sentence refers to two separate developments.
However, some constructions can become awkward. When that happens, rewriting may make the sentence clearer.
Instead of:
There have been a rise and a fall in prices.
You could write:
Prices have both risen and fallen.
Good grammar matters, but clarity matters too.
Subjects Joined by “Or” and “Nor”
Subjects connected by or and nor can create more complicated agreement situations.
For example:
There has been neither a response nor an update.
Both nouns are singular.
More complicated combinations can sound awkward:
There has been neither a response nor any updates.
Rather than forcing an uncomfortable construction, you can rewrite it:
We haven’t received either a response or any updates.
A clear rewrite often works better than a sentence that makes the reader stop and decode the grammar.
Is “There’s Been” Correct?
Yes. There’s been is a contraction of there has been.
For example:
There’s been a mistake.
This means:
There has been a mistake.
You can also use it with uncountable nouns:
There’s been some confusion.
However, formal writing should generally maintain standard agreement with plural subjects.
Use:
There have been several mistakes.
Rather than:
❌ There’s been several mistakes.
You may hear the second version in casual conversation. Spoken English often contains relaxed constructions that aren’t ideal for formal writing.
For academic assignments, professional documents, reports, and polished web content, there have been is the safer choice with a plural subject.
Has There Been vs. Have There Been
Questions follow the same agreement rule.
For singular subjects:
Has there been a problem?
Has there been a delay?
Has there been any progress?
For plural subjects:
Have there been any problems?
Have there been several delays?
Have there been changes to the schedule?
Compare the statement and question forms:
| Statement | Question |
| There has been a problem. | Has there been a problem? |
| There have been problems. | Have there been problems? |
| There has been progress. | Has there been progress? |
| There have been changes. | Have there been changes? |
The auxiliary moves to the beginning, but the agreement principle remains unchanged.
There Hasn’t Been vs. There Haven’t Been
Negative sentences work the same way.
Use there hasn’t been with singular or uncountable subjects:
There hasn’t been a response.
There hasn’t been enough evidence.
There hasn’t been much progress.
Use there haven’t been with plural subjects:
There haven’t been any responses.
There haven’t been enough studies.
There haven’t been many changes.
The contractions are simple:
- hasn’t = has not
- haven’t = have not
The noun still determines which form you need.
Common Mistakes With There Has Been and There Have Been
These errors usually happen because the writer focuses on the wrong word.
| Incorrect | Correct | Reason |
| ❌ There has been many problems. | ✅ There have been many problems. | Problems is plural. |
| ❌ There have been a problem. | ✅ There has been a problem. | Problem is singular. |
| ❌ There has been several complaints. | ✅ There have been several complaints. | Complaints is plural. |
| ❌ There have been significant progress. | ✅ There has been significant progress. | Progress is uncountable. |
| ❌ There has been three delays. | ✅ There have been three delays. | Delays is plural. |
| ❌ There have been a lot of confusion. | ✅ There has been a lot of confusion. | Confusion is uncountable. |
Why These Mistakes Happen
Most errors come from a few predictable habits:
- Focusing on there instead of the real subject.
- Seeing a nearby plural noun and automatically choosing have.
- Treating an uncountable noun as plural.
- Ignoring the head noun in a long phrase.
- Choosing the form that sounds familiar without checking the grammar.
The solution is straightforward:
Find the subject. Check its number. Match the verb.
Real-World Case Studies
Workplace Writing
Imagine a manager writes:
❌ There has been several complaints about the new system.
The subject is complaints, which is plural.
The correct version is:
✅ There have been several complaints about the new system.
The correction improves grammatical accuracy and gives the sentence a more polished professional tone.
Academic Writing
Consider:
❌ There has been many studies on this subject.
The noun studies is plural.
Therefore:
✅ There have been many studies on this subject.
Now compare it with:
✅ There has been considerable research on this subject.
Here, research is generally uncountable.
That’s why the first sentence uses have, while the second uses has.
Customer Service Writing
Suppose a company writes:
❌ There has been multiple delays with your order.
The noun delays is plural.
The corrected version is:
✅ There have been multiple delays with your order.
You could also make the sentence more direct:
Your order has experienced multiple delays.
The second version removes the existential there altogether.
Uncountable Nouns
Consider:
❌ There have been significant progress.
The noun progress is uncountable.
Therefore:
✅ There has been significant progress.
The adjective significant doesn’t affect agreement. The noun progress does.
A Simple Four-Step Method for Choosing the Correct Form
When you’re stuck between there has been and there have been, use this method.
Find “Has/Have Been”
Locate the verb phrase:
There has been a problem.
Find the Real Subject
Ask what exists or has happened:
There has been a problem.
Check the Subject
Determine whether the subject is:
- Singular
- Plural
- Uncountable
Match the Verb
Use:
There has been → singular or uncountable
There have been → plural
You can reduce the entire process to one question:
What noun is the sentence actually talking about?
Once you find that noun, the correct form usually becomes obvious.
Read More: Year Old vs. Years Old: The Complete Guide to Using Age Modifiers Correctly
There Has Been vs. There Have Been: Quick Reference
| Real Subject | Correct Form | Example |
| A problem | There has been | There has been a problem. |
| An error | There has been | There has been an error. |
| Progress | There has been | There has been progress. |
| Research | There has been | There has been new research. |
| Several problems | There have been | There have been several problems. |
| Many errors | There have been | There have been many errors. |
| Several studies | There have been | There have been several studies. |
| A number of complaints | There have been | There have been a number of complaints. |
| A lot of confusion | There has been | There has been a lot of confusion. |
| A lot of complaints | There have been | There have been a lot of complaints. |
Practice: Choose “Has Been” or “Have Been”
Try completing these sentences before looking at the answers.
- There ___ a serious mistake in the report.
- There ___ several mistakes in the report.
- There ___ considerable progress.
- There ___ many improvements this year.
- There ___ a lot of confusion about the instructions.
- There ___ a lot of complaints from customers.
- There ___ three meetings this week.
- There ___ an unexpected change in the schedule.
- There ___ new studies on the topic.
- There ___ enough evidence to support the conclusion.
Answers
- has been — a serious mistake is singular.
- have been — several mistakes is plural.
- has been — progress is uncountable.
- have been — improvements is plural.
- has been — confusion is uncountable.
- have been — complaints is plural.
- have been — three meetings is plural.
- has been — an unexpected change is singular.
- have been — studies is plural.
- has been — evidence is uncountable.
Here’s a clear conclusion and five useful FAQs for the article.
Conclusion:
Choosing between there has been and there have been becomes much easier when you focus on the noun that controls the verb. Use there has been with a singular or uncountable noun, and use there have been with a plural noun. The word there doesn’t determine whether you need has or have.
When you’re unsure, don’t guess. Find the subject first, decide whether it’s singular, uncountable, or plural, and then choose the matching form. With a little practice, this simple rule will help you use both phrases correctly and confidently in everyday English.
FAQs:
Is it “there has been” or “there have been”?
Both are correct, but they are used with different subjects. Use there has been with a singular or uncountable noun and there have been with a plural noun.
Is “there has been” singular?
Yes. There has been is used when the noun that follows is singular or uncountable. For example, “There has been a delay.”
Is “there have been” plural?
Yes. There have been is used with plural nouns. For example, “There have been several delays.”
Can I say “there has been several”?
No. In standard English, “there have been several” is correct because several refers to a plural noun. For example, “There have been several changes.”
How can I remember the difference between “there has been” and “there have been”?
Look at the noun after the phrase. If it’s singular or uncountable, use has been. If it’s plural, use have been. This quick check can prevent many common grammar mistakes.
