Choosing between “there has been” and “there have been” can seem surprisingly difficult. Both expressions are common, both refer to something that happened or existed in the past, and both use the present perfect tense. The key difference is simple: the verb must agree with the noun that follows it.
Use “there has been” with a singular noun or an uncountable noun. Use “there have been” with a plural noun. Once you learn to identify the real subject after “there,” the choice becomes much easier.
For example, “There has been a problem” is correct because problem is singular. “There have been several problems” is correct because problems is plural. The word “there” does not determine whether you use has or have.
Here’s the rule in action.
The Core Rule Explained Simply
The expressions “there has been” and “there have been” are forms of the present perfect construction used with there-existential sentences. These sentences introduce something that exists, existed, or has occurred.
The basic pattern is:
There + has/have + been + noun
The choice between has and have depends on the noun that comes after been.
Use there has been when the noun is singular or uncountable:
- There has been a mistake.
- There has been an accident.
- There has been a change.
- There has been considerable progress.
- There has been too much confusion.
Use there have been when the noun is plural:
- There have been several mistakes.
- There have been many accidents.
- There have been important changes.
- There have been numerous complaints.
- There have been several opportunities.
The easiest question to ask is:
What comes after “been”?
If it is one countable thing, use has. If it is more than one countable thing, use have.
Rule 1: “There Has Been” for Singular or Uncountable Nouns
There has been is used when the following noun refers to one person, one thing, one event, or an amount that is treated as a whole.
Examples:
- There has been a delay.
- There has been one major error.
- There has been an improvement.
- There has been a misunderstanding.
- There has been enough discussion.
- There has been little progress.
Notice that uncountable nouns can also take has.
For example, progress is generally uncountable in this meaning. Therefore, we say:
There has been significant progress.
Not:
There have been significant progress.
Rule 2: “There Have Been” for Plural Nouns
Use there have been when the noun that follows is plural.
Examples:
- There have been several delays.
- There have been three meetings.
- There have been many complaints.
- There have been significant changes.
- There have been numerous attempts.
The plural noun controls the verb.
Look at this:
There have been several changes.
The important word is changes, not there. Because changes is plural, have is required in standard English.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Situation | Example | Meaning | Correct Usage |
| One singular thing | There has been a problem. | One problem has occurred or existed. | Has been |
| One singular event | There has been an accident. | One accident has happened. | Has been |
| Uncountable noun | There has been progress. | Progress has occurred. | Has been |
| Plural things | There have been problems. | Multiple problems have occurred. | Have been |
| Several events | There have been three meetings. | Three meetings have occurred. | Have been |
| Multiple people | There have been many visitors. | Many visitors have arrived or existed there. | Have been |
| Singular question | Has there been a change? | Asking whether one change occurred. | Has there been |
| Plural question | Have there been any changes? | Asking whether multiple changes occurred. | Have there been |
Deep Dive into “There Has Been”
When Should You Use “There Has Been”?
Use there has been when the noun following the expression is singular or uncountable.
This construction is especially common when discussing events, developments, problems, changes, experiences, and conditions.
Consider these examples:
- There has been a misunderstanding between the two teams.
- There has been a noticeable change in the weather.
- There has been an increase in demand.
- There has been a serious delay.
- There has been enough time to complete the work.
- There has been little interest in the proposal.
In each sentence, the noun is singular or uncountable.
The word a is also a useful clue. If the phrase contains a/an + noun, the noun is singular, so has been is normally required.
For example:
There has been an error.
The phrase an error clearly refers to one error.
“There Has Been” With Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns deserve special attention because they do not usually take a plural -s.
Common examples include:
- information
- advice
- progress
- research
- traffic
- equipment
- furniture
- evidence
- knowledge
- money
Therefore, standard English uses:
- There has been some progress.
- There has been new information.
- There has been more research.
- There has been heavy traffic.
- There has been enough evidence.
Do not automatically choose have simply because the sentence describes a large amount.
Quantity does not always mean grammatical plurality.
For instance:
There has been a lot of traffic today.
Traffic is uncountable, even though there may have been thousands of vehicles.
“There Has Been” in Negative Sentences
The same agreement rule applies when you make the sentence negative.
Use:
There has not been…
or the contraction:
There hasn’t been…
Examples:
- There hasn’t been a response yet.
- There hasn’t been enough time.
- There hasn’t been any progress.
- There has not been a formal announcement.
The noun still determines the form.
Quick Test for “There Has Been”
Use this three-step test:
- Find the noun after been.
- Ask whether it is singular or uncountable.
- If yes, choose has been.
For example:
There ___ been a mistake.
The noun is mistake. It is singular.
Answer:
There has been a mistake.
Try another:
There ___ been considerable progress.
Progress is uncountable.
Answer:
There has been considerable progress.
The test is simple, but it solves most usage questions.
Deep Dive into “There Have Been”
When Should You Use “There Have Been”?
Use there have been when the noun following been is plural.
This includes situations involving multiple events, people, objects, problems, changes, or opportunities.
Examples:
- There have been several problems.
- There have been many improvements.
- There have been two accidents.
- There have been numerous complaints.
- There have been several attempts to solve the issue.
The noun is plural in every example.
That is the central clue.
Why “Several” and “Many” Usually Point to “Have”
Words such as several, many, numerous, few, two, three, dozens of, and hundreds of normally introduce plural countable nouns.
Therefore, they naturally pair with there have been.
Examples:
- There have been several changes.
- There have been many questions.
- There have been numerous requests.
- There have been a few mistakes.
- There have been three meetings.
Compare that with a singular or uncountable noun:
- There has been some confusion.
- There has been a question.
- There has been one meeting.
The number or quantity often gives you the answer immediately.
“There Have Been” in Negative Sentences
The negative form is:
There have not been…
or:
There haven’t been…
Examples:
- There haven’t been any problems.
- There haven’t been many changes.
- There haven’t been enough volunteers.
- There have not been any serious complaints.
Notice the plural nouns: problems, changes, volunteers, and complaints.
That is why have is used.
“There Have Been” in Questions
The same rule applies when asking questions.
Use:
Have there been + plural noun?
Examples:
- Have there been any changes?
- Have there been any complaints?
- Have there been several delays?
- Have there been enough volunteers?
For a singular noun, switch to has:
- Has there been a change?
- Has there been a complaint?
- Has there been a delay?
- Has there been an announcement?
This creates a useful pair:
Has there been a problem?
Have there been any problems?
The difference is not about the meaning of there. It is about singular versus plural agreement.
Patterns You Can Memorize
The most useful patterns are:
There has been + singular noun
There has been a delay.
There has been + uncountable noun
There has been progress.
There have been + plural noun
There have been delays.
Has there been + singular noun?
Has there been a delay?
Have there been + plural noun?
Have there been delays?
Once these patterns become familiar, choosing between the two forms becomes almost automatic.
The Meaning Shift or Nuance
The difference between there has been and there have been is primarily grammatical, but it also changes the number of things being introduced.
Compare:
There has been a change.
This tells the reader about one change.
Now compare:
There have been changes.
This tells the reader that multiple changes have occurred.
The distinction can therefore affect the amount of information communicated.
Consider another pair:
There has been a problem with the system.
This identifies one problem.
There have been problems with the system.
This suggests multiple problems or repeated difficulties.
The second sentence may communicate a broader or more persistent situation.
Here’s an important point:
“Has” does not mean small, and “have” does not mean large.
The choice is grammatical, not a measurement of importance.
A single enormous problem still takes has:
There has been a major problem.
Several tiny problems take have:
There have been minor problems.
Why the Confusion Persists
The confusion often comes from the unusual grammatical structure of sentences beginning with there.
In a normal sentence, the subject usually appears before the verb:
The problem has occurred.
The subject, problem, clearly comes first.
But an existential sentence rearranges the information:
There has been a problem.
The word there appears before the verb, which can make it seem like there controls the verb. It does not.
The noun introduced later carries the relevant number.
This becomes even more confusing when additional words separate the noun from the verb.
Consider:
There have been several unexpected changes in the company’s policies.
The subject-like noun phrase is several unexpected changes. The words between the verb and the noun can make the sentence feel complicated, but the basic agreement rule remains unchanged.
Education can also contribute to the confusion. Learners may memorize “there has been” as a fixed phrase and then use it everywhere. Others memorize “there have been” from common examples and apply it to singular nouns.
Neither phrase is universally correct.
The noun determines the form.
Formal vs Casual Contexts
In formal writing, subject-verb agreement should be precise.
Use:
There has been a significant increase in demand.
Use:
There have been significant increases in demand.
Both are grammatical, but they communicate different numbers.
Academic writing, business reports, professional correspondence, journalism, and formal essays benefit from making this distinction carefully.
Casual speech sometimes introduces another issue: “there’s been.”
For example:
There’s been a mistake.
This is a common contraction of there has been.
You will also hear informal speakers say:
There’s been several mistakes.
This plural construction is widespread in conversational English, but in careful formal writing, there have been several mistakes is the safer standard form.
The reason is straightforward. Several mistakes is plural, so formal standard agreement calls for have.
In other words, common speech can be more flexible than edited writing.
If you are writing an email to a friend, casual usage may sound natural. If you are writing an academic paper, report, application, or professional article, use the standard agreement pattern.
Case Studies / Pop Culture Examples
News and Journalism
News writing frequently uses these constructions because journalists report recent developments.
For example:
There has been a major development in the investigation.
The noun development is singular.
If the report identifies multiple developments:
There have been several major developments in the investigation.
The grammatical difference reflects the number of developments being reported.
Academic Writing
Academic prose often discusses changes, evidence, research, and developments.
Examples include:
There has been considerable research into language acquisition.
There have been several studies on the subject.
Notice the difference between research, an uncountable noun in this use, and studies, a plural countable noun.
This distinction is especially useful when writing essays or research-based content.
Business Communication
Business writing regularly uses these structures to describe meetings, changes, complaints, or developments.
For example:
There has been a delay in production.
But:
There have been several production delays.
The first sentence identifies one delay. The second indicates multiple delays.
The distinction can matter when communicating operational information because the number of events may affect how the reader understands the situation.
Everyday Conversation
People use these expressions constantly in ordinary conversation.
You might hear:
There has been a misunderstanding.
Or:
There have been a few misunderstandings.
The construction is not especially formal or academic. It is an ordinary part of English grammar.
Its importance comes from using the correct form for the noun.
Advanced Scenarios & Flowchart
When the sentence feels confusing, follow this decision path.
Start with your sentence: “There ___ been…”
↓
Identify the noun that follows “been.”
↓
Is the noun singular?
→ Yes: Use has been.
Example: There has been a problem.
↓
If not, is the noun uncountable?
→ Yes: Use has been.
Example: There has been progress.
↓
If not, is the noun plural?
→ Yes: Use have been.
Example: There have been problems.
↓
Still unsure?
Remove the introductory there mentally and identify the noun phrase.
A problem has been… → There has been a problem.
Several problems have been… → There have been several problems.
This mental trick works because it exposes the number of the noun.
Watch Out for Long Noun Phrases
Sometimes the noun phrase is long:
There have been several unexpected changes to the company’s operating procedures.
Do not let the words unexpected or to the company’s operating procedures distract you.
The main noun is changes, which is plural.
Therefore:
There have been several unexpected changes.
Now consider:
There has been a significant improvement in customer satisfaction.
The main noun is improvement, which is singular.
Therefore:
has been is correct.
Watch Out for “A Number of”
The expression a number of is followed by a plural noun and normally takes a plural verb.
Therefore:
There have been a number of complaints.
Not:
There has been a number of complaints.
Compare this with the number of, which is singular:
The number of complaints has increased.
This distinction is useful because a number of and the number of look similar but behave differently.
Quick Reference Table
| Use | Correct Pattern |
| Singular countable noun | There has been a problem. |
| Uncountable noun | There has been progress. |
| Plural countable noun | There have been problems. |
| Singular question | Has there been a problem? |
| Plural question | Have there been problems? |
| Singular negative | There hasn’t been a problem. |
| Plural negative | There haven’t been problems. |
| One event | There has been an accident. |
| Multiple events | There have been several accidents. |
| Several + plural noun | There have been several changes. |
Common Mistakes That Lower Quality
Mistake 1: Using “Has” With a Plural Noun
Incorrect:
There has been several problems.
Correct:
There have been several problems.
The noun problems is plural, so it requires have.
Mistake 2: Using “Have” With a Singular Noun
Incorrect:
There have been a problem.
Correct:
There has been a problem.
The article a is a strong clue that the noun is singular.
Mistake 3: Treating “There” as the Subject That Controls the Verb
Some writers think the sentence should use has because there sounds singular or use have because they associate it with existence.
That approach misses the real issue.
The relevant noun is the important grammatical element:
There has been a mistake.
There have been mistakes.
Mistake 4: Confusing Uncountable Nouns With Plurals
Words such as information, advice, progress, evidence, research, and equipment generally do not take plural forms in standard English when used in their ordinary meanings.
Therefore:
There has been some progress.
Not:
There have been some progress.
If you want a plural construction, use a countable noun:
There have been several improvements.
Mistake 5: Letting Nearby Words Control the Verb
Consider:
There have been a number of serious complaints.
The word number may look singular, but the expression a number of + plural noun takes a plural verb.
The main idea is several complaints.
Mistake 6: Assuming “There’s Been” Always Works
There’s been is natural in many informal contexts when it means there has been.
However, do not use it as a universal replacement for there have been in formal writing.
Prefer:
There have been several errors.
rather than:
There’s been several errors.
The latter may occur in casual speech, but the former follows standard formal agreement.
Mistake 7: Ignoring the Meaning of the Noun
Sometimes writers focus so much on the phrase there has/have been that they forget to check whether the noun itself is countable.
Ask what you are actually introducing.
Is it one event?
Use has.
Are there multiple events?
Use have.
Is the noun uncountable?
Usually use has.
Memory Hacks That Actually Work
Hack 1: Look Right
When you see:
There ___ been…
Look immediately to the right of been.
Find the noun.
Then decide whether it is singular, plural, or uncountable.
This is faster than trying to remember an abstract grammar rule.
Hack 2: One Means “Has”
Remember:
One → has
More than one → have
Examples:
One problem → There has been a problem.
Three problems → There have been three problems.
This simple association works for many everyday sentences.
Hack 3: “A” Usually Signals Has
When you see a or an before the noun, think:
A/an → singular → has
Examples:
There has been a mistake.
There has been an accident.
There has been an update.
This is not the only way to identify singular nouns, but it is a powerful shortcut.
Hack 4: “Several” Usually Signals Have
When you see several, many, numerous, few, two, three, or dozens of, expect a plural noun.
Then choose:
There have been…
Examples:
There have been several complaints.
There have been many changes.
There have been three meetings.
Hack 5: Replace “There” Mentally
If the sentence still feels confusing, temporarily remove there.
Consider:
There have been several problems.
Mentally focus on:
Several problems have…
That immediately shows why have is appropriate.
Try:
There has been a problem.
Mentally:
A problem has…
Again, the agreement becomes obvious.
Hack 6: Memorize Pairs
Instead of memorizing isolated sentences, memorize contrasting pairs.
There has been a change.
There have been changes.
There has been an error.
There have been errors.
There has been a delay.
There have been delays.
These pairs train your brain to connect singular with has and plural with have.
Why Precision Matters (SEO/Authority)
Correct grammar contributes to the credibility of any written communication, including SEO content, educational articles, business pages, reports, and professional websites.
A single grammar mistake rarely destroys the meaning of a sentence. However, repeated agreement errors can make readers question the care taken with the rest of the content.
Consider the difference between:
There have been several important updates to the policy.
and:
There has been several important updates to the policy.
The second sentence is understandable, but it contains a subject-verb agreement error in standard edited English.
For content creators, precision matters because authority is built through hundreds of small signals. Clear grammar makes information easier to process and helps readers focus on the message rather than the wording.
This is particularly relevant for SEO content. Search engines do not simply turn every grammar mistake into a direct ranking penalty, and grammar should not be treated as a magical ranking factor. However, high-quality content should still be accurate, readable, useful, and professionally edited.
Grammar precision also matters for user trust.
If an article explains English usage while repeatedly making basic agreement mistakes, readers may reasonably question the reliability of its explanations. Using there has been and there have been correctly is therefore a small but meaningful part of polished writing.
A Quick Quiz
Fill in each blank with has been or have been.
1. There ______ a major improvement in the company’s performance.
Answer: There has been a major improvement in the company’s performance.
Improvement is singular.
2. There ______ several improvements since last year.
Answer: There have been several improvements since last year.
Improvements is plural.
3. There ______ a lot of discussion about the issue.
Answer: There has been a lot of discussion about the issue.
Discussion is uncountable in this use.
4. There ______ many questions about the new policy.
Answer: There have been many questions about the new policy.
Questions is plural.
5. There ______ an unexpected delay.
Answer: There has been an unexpected delay.
Delay is singular.
6. There ______ three delays this morning.
Answer: There have been three delays this morning.
Delays is plural.
7. There ______ enough evidence to support the claim.
Answer: There has been enough evidence to support the claim.
Evidence is normally uncountable in this context.
8. There ______ several attempts to resolve the issue.
Answer: There have been several attempts to resolve the issue.
Attempts is plural.
The central rule is worth repeating because it solves almost every example: use “there has been” with a singular or uncountable noun, and use “there have been” with a plural noun. The word “there” does not determine the choice. Identify the noun, check whether it is singular, plural, or uncountable, and then select has or have accordingly.
Conclusion
Understanding “there has been” and “there have been” becomes much easier when you stop treating them as fixed phrases and focus on the noun that follows been. Use “there has been” with a singular noun or an uncountable noun, such as a problem, an accident, progress, information, or research.
Use “there have been” with a plural noun, such as problems, accidents, changes, questions, or complaints. The word “there” does not determine whether the verb should be has or have. Instead, identify the noun being introduced and check its number. This simple habit eliminates most errors.
The distinction also matters when you write in formal, academic, professional, or SEO-focused contexts. Although casual speech sometimes uses constructions such as “there’s been several problems,” standard edited English generally prefers “there have been several problems” because problems is plural.
When you are uncertain, use the quick mental test: one thing means “has,” while multiple things mean “have.” For uncountable nouns, choose “has been.” With regular practice, these patterns become automatic, helping you write sentences that are clearer, more precise, and more credible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “there has been” grammatically correct?
Yes, “there has been” is grammatically correct when it is followed by a singular noun or an uncountable noun. For example, “There has been a mistake” contains the singular noun mistake. Similarly, “There has been progress” is correct because progress is uncountable in this context. The construction is a standard form of the present perfect tense.
Is “there have been” grammatically correct?
Yes, “there have been” is correct when the noun that follows is plural. For example, “There have been several mistakes” is grammatical because mistakes is plural. You can also use it with nouns such as changes, complaints, questions, accidents, and opportunities. The important point is that the plural noun requires the plural auxiliary have.
Should I say “there has been several” or “there have been several”?
Use “there have been several” when several is followed by a plural noun. For example, the correct sentence is “There have been several problems.” The word several indicates more than one, and problems is plural. Therefore, have agrees with the plural noun phrase. “There has been several problems” is not standard subject-verb agreement.
Should I say “there has been a lot” or “there have been a lot”?
It depends on the noun following a lot of. Use “there has been a lot of traffic” because traffic is uncountable. Use “there have been a lot of problems” because problems is plural. The expression “a lot of” itself does not determine the verb. Always examine the noun after it to decide between has and have.
Can “there has been” be used with uncountable nouns?
Yes. “There has been” commonly appears with uncountable nouns such as progress, research, information, advice, evidence, traffic, and confusion. For example, “There has been significant progress” is correct. You should not automatically use have simply because the sentence refers to a large amount. Grammatical number depends on whether the noun is singular, plural, or uncountable.
What is the difference between “has there been” and “have there been”?
The difference is based on the noun being discussed. Use “Has there been” before a singular or uncountable noun, as in “Has there been a problem?” Use “Have there been” before a plural noun, as in “Have there been any problems?” The same singular-versus-plural rule applies in questions as it does in statements.
Is “there’s been several problems” correct?
You may hear “there’s been several problems” frequently in casual conversation, where there’s is commonly used as a contraction of “there has.” However, in careful formal writing, the preferred construction is “there have been several problems.” Because problems is plural, have provides standard subject-verb agreement. Professional and academic writing should generally use the standard form.
What is the easiest way to remember “there has been” versus “there have been”?
Use the simple memory rule “one has, many have.” If you are talking about one thing, use “there has been.” For example, “There has been a delay.” If you are talking about multiple things, use “there have been.” For example, “There have been several delays.” For uncountable nouns, remember that they normally take has been.
Is “there has been” present perfect tense?
Yes. “There has been” contains the present perfect form of be, with has as the auxiliary and been as the past participle of be. Similarly, “there have been” uses have with been. These constructions are commonly used to describe something that has existed, happened, or occurred at some point leading up to the present.
How can I avoid mistakes with “there has been” and “there have been”?
First, locate the noun that follows been. Next, determine whether that noun is singular, plural, or uncountable. Choose has been for singular and uncountable nouns, and have been for plural nouns. If the sentence is long, mentally remove there and focus on the noun phrase. Regularly comparing pairs such as “There has been a change” and “There have been changes” can also make the distinction automatic.
