There Has Been vs. There Have Been: Which Is Correct?

Navigating the nuances of English grammar can often feel like traversing a linguistic minefield. Even seasoned writers sometimes stumble over seemingly simple constructions. One such area of frequent confusion revolves around the correct usage of “there has been” versus “there have been.”

The distinction, while subtle, is crucial for grammatical accuracy and clarity in communication. Understanding the underlying principle—subject-verb agreement—is the key to mastering this common point of uncertainty.

Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement

The fundamental rule of subject-verb agreement in English dictates that a verb must agree in number with its subject. This means singular subjects require singular verbs, and plural subjects require plural verbs.

When dealing with “there has been” and “there have been,” the “subject” is not “there” itself. Instead, the subject is the noun or pronoun that follows the verb “to be” (in this case, “has been” or “have been”).

This concept is often referred to as an “expletive construction,” where “there” acts as a placeholder, and the true subject appears later in the sentence.

The Role of Singular Subjects

The phrase “there has been” is used when the subject of the sentence is singular. This applies to single nouns, collective nouns treated as a single unit, and singular pronouns.

For example, if we are talking about a single event or occurrence, the singular form is appropriate. The verb “has” is the singular, present tense form of “to have.”

Consider a situation where only one item or entity is being discussed. The singular verb correctly matches this singular focus.

Examples of Singular Subjects

A singular noun is straightforward. If the noun is countable and refers to only one thing, “there has been” is the correct choice.

Collective nouns can be tricky, but when they are acting as a single, unified group, they take a singular verb. Think of a team or a committee acting in concert.

Pronouns like “everyone,” “everybody,” “someone,” “somebody,” “anyone,” “anybody,” “no one,” and “nobody” are always treated as singular and therefore require “there has been.”

“There has been a significant increase in online shopping over the past decade.” Here, “increase” is the singular subject, so “has been” is correct.

“There has been a rumour circulating about the company’s restructuring.” The subject is the singular noun “rumour.”

“There has been a delay in the delivery of your package.” The singular subject is “delay.”

“There has been a noticeable improvement in her performance.” The singular subject is “improvement.”

“There has been a proposal submitted for the new park project.” The singular subject is “proposal.”

The Role of Plural Subjects

Conversely, “there have been” is employed when the subject of the sentence is plural. This includes plural nouns and pronouns that refer to more than one person, place, or thing.

The verb “have” is the plural, present tense form of “to have.” It aligns with subjects that denote multiplicity.

When the sentence refers to multiple instances, occurrences, or items, the plural verb form is grammatically sound.

Examples of Plural Subjects

Any noun that is inherently plural or made plural by adding an “s” (or following irregular pluralization rules) will require “there have been.”

Pronouns like “they,” “we,” and “you” (when referring to multiple people) are plural and necessitate the use of “there have been.”

When referring to two or more distinct items or entities, the plural agreement is clear.

“There have been several complaints filed regarding the service quality.” The plural subject is “complaints.”

“There have been many challenges to overcome during this project.” The plural subject is “challenges.”

“There have been reports of increased traffic congestion in the city.” The plural subject is “reports.”

“There have been numerous opportunities for professional development offered by the organization.” The plural subject is “opportunities.”

“There have been significant advancements in medical technology in recent years.” The plural subject is “advancements.”

Handling Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns, also known as mass nouns, refer to things that cannot be counted as individual units. These include concepts, substances, and abstract qualities.

Uncountable nouns are always treated as singular in English grammar. Therefore, they take the singular verb form, “there has been.”

Even if the uncountable noun refers to a large quantity, its grammatical number remains singular.

Examples with Uncountable Nouns

Abstract concepts such as “happiness,” “sadness,” “information,” and “advice” are uncountable.

Materials like “water,” “sand,” “sugar,” and “information” are also uncountable.

“There has been considerable progress made towards achieving the goal.” “Progress” is an uncountable noun.

“There has been a lot of confusion surrounding the new policy.” “Confusion” is an uncountable noun.

“There has been a significant amount of research conducted on this topic.” “Research” is uncountable.

“There has been much discussion about the implications of the decision.” “Discussion” is uncountable.

“There has been a great deal of effort invested in this endeavor.” “Effort” is uncountable.

The Impact of Compound Subjects

Compound subjects are formed when two or more subjects are joined by a conjunction, such as “and,” “or,” or “nor.” The agreement rule can become more complex depending on the conjunction used.

When subjects are joined by “and,” they typically form a plural subject and require “there have been.” This is because “and” usually implies more than one entity.

However, if the compound subject refers to a single, unified concept or entity, it may take a singular verb.

Subjects Joined by “And”

When two or more distinct subjects are linked by “and,” the verb should agree with the combined, plural entity.

This is the most common scenario for compound subjects. The “there” construction functions similarly.

“There have been a cat and a dog playing in the yard.” Both “cat” and “dog” are subjects, and joined by “and,” they form a plural subject.

“There have been a manager and two employees present at the meeting.” The subjects “manager” and “employees” are plural when combined.

“There have been innovation and creativity driving the company’s success.” “Innovation” and “creativity” are distinct concepts, thus plural.

“There have been a table and chairs set up for the event.” The items “table” and “chairs” are plural together.

“There have been a father and son working on the project.” The subjects “father” and “son” are distinct.

Subjects Joined by “Or” or “Nor”

When subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the subject that is closest to it. This is known as the rule of proximity.

This rule applies whether the closest subject is singular or plural.

In an “either…or” or “neither…nor” construction, carefully identify which subject is nearer to the verb.

“There has been a student or a teacher at the desk.” “A student” is singular and closer to the verb.

“There have been teachers or students in the hallway.” “Students” is plural and closer to the verb.

“There has been neither an apology nor an explanation forthcoming.” “An explanation” is singular and closer.

“There have been neither the managers nor the employees willing to cooperate.” “Employees” is plural and closer.

“There has been either a delay or a cancellation of the flight.” “A cancellation” is singular and closer.

The Influence of Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases often appear between the expletive “there” and the true subject of the sentence. These phrases can sometimes obscure the subject, leading to agreement errors.

It is essential to identify the actual subject, ignoring any intervening prepositional phrases, to ensure correct verb agreement.

The verb must agree with the subject, not with any noun within a prepositional phrase.

Identifying the True Subject

A prepositional phrase typically begins with a preposition (e.g., “in,” “on,” “at,” “of,” “with,” “for”) and ends with a noun or pronoun.

When such a phrase separates “there” from the subject, mentally remove the phrase to clarify the agreement.

“There have been a lot of books on the shelf.” The prepositional phrase is “on the shelf.” The subject is “books,” which is plural.

“There has been a box of chocolates on the table.” The prepositional phrase is “of chocolates.” The subject is “box,” which is singular.

“There have been several reasons for their absence.” The prepositional phrase is “for their absence.” The subject is “reasons,” which is plural.

“There has been a piece of cake left for you.” The prepositional phrase is “of cake.” The subject is “piece,” which is singular.

“There have been many people in the audience.” The prepositional phrase is “in the audience.” The subject is “people,” which is plural.

When “There” is the Subject

In rare instances, “there” can function as the actual subject of a sentence, particularly in idiomatic expressions or when referring to a place.

However, in the constructions “there has been” and “there have been,” “there” is almost always an expletive, and the subject follows.

It is important to distinguish these less common uses from the standard expletive construction.

Idiomatic and Locational Uses

When “there” refers to a specific location and is the focus of the sentence, it acts as the subject.

These instances are exceptions to the general rule regarding expletive “there.”

Consider the sentence: “There is the house I told you about.” Here, “there” refers to a specific place and is the subject. This usage is distinct from the expletive construction.

Another example: “There is no place like home.” “There” signifies a place and is the subject.

These locational uses are not relevant to the “there has been” vs. “there have been” distinction, where “there” is a placeholder.

The focus remains on the noun or pronoun that follows the verb “to be.”

Understanding this distinction prevents confusion in less common sentence structures.

Common Errors and How to Avoid Them

A frequent error occurs when writers mistakenly treat “there” as the subject and apply agreement rules incorrectly.

Another pitfall is overlooking the true subject when it is separated from the verb by intervening words or phrases.

Careful sentence analysis is the best defense against these common mistakes.

Recognizing the Subject

The most effective strategy is to isolate the verb and then find the noun or pronoun that performs the action or is being described.

In expletive constructions, this means looking *after* the verb “has been” or “have been.”

Practice identifying subjects in various sentence structures to build confidence.

Read sentences aloud; sometimes, the incorrect agreement sounds awkward to the ear.

When in doubt, rephrase the sentence without the expletive “there” to clarify the subject-verb relationship.

The Past Perfect Tense Connection

The phrases “there has been” and “there have been” are forms of the present perfect tense. They describe actions or states that began in the past and continue to the present, or have relevance to the present.

Understanding the function of the present perfect tense helps contextualize the usage of these phrases.

They often indicate the existence or occurrence of something over a period leading up to the present moment.

Implications for Time and Duration

“There has been” and “there have been” connect past events or states to the present. They suggest that something existed or happened over a duration that includes the present.

This tense is distinct from the simple past, which refers to completed actions in the past.

The choice between singular and plural depends on whether the subject of this past-to-present connection is singular or plural.

The grammatical number of the subject remains the determining factor, regardless of the tense.

These phrases are essential for conveying continuity and relevance from the past.

Context is Key: When to Use Each

The choice between “there has been” and “there have been” is dictated entirely by the grammatical number of the subject that follows.

There is no stylistic preference; only grammatical correctness dictates the choice.

Always identify the subject first, then apply the rule of subject-verb agreement.

Practical Application in Writing

In formal writing, adhering strictly to these rules is paramount for credibility and clarity. Errors can detract from the message.

In informal communication, while audiences might be more forgiving, accuracy still enhances understanding.

Consistent application of the subject-verb agreement rule ensures grammatically sound sentences.

Proofreading specifically for these constructions can catch common errors.

Understanding the underlying principle empowers writers to use these phrases confidently.

Nuances with Collective Nouns

Collective nouns present a unique challenge because they can be treated as either singular or plural depending on context and regional dialect (primarily American English vs. British English).

In American English, collective nouns are generally treated as singular unless the members are acting as individuals.

In British English, collective nouns are more frequently treated as plural.

Singular vs. Plural Treatment

When a collective noun acts as a single unit, it takes a singular verb. For example, “The team has won.”

When the members of the collective noun are acting as individuals within the group, it takes a plural verb. For example, “The team have been arguing among themselves.”

Applying this to the “there” construction requires identifying whether the collective noun refers to the group as a whole or its individual members.

“There has been a committee formed to address the issue.” The committee is acting as a single entity.

“There have been many families arriving at the shelter.” Here, “families” implies multiple distinct family units.

“There has been a swarm of bees heading towards the garden.” The swarm is considered a singular unit.

“There have been several groups of students attending the workshop.” “Groups” is plural.

“There has been a government established to lead the nation.” The government is a singular governing body.

The Importance of Clarity

Correct subject-verb agreement, including the use of “there has been” versus “there have been,” is fundamental to clear and effective communication.

Ambiguity can arise when grammatical rules are not followed, potentially leading to misinterpretation.

Ensuring that your verbs accurately reflect the number of your subjects makes your writing precise.

Achieving Precision in Language

Precision in language builds trust and credibility with your audience. It demonstrates attention to detail.

When readers encounter grammatically correct sentences, they can focus on the content without being distracted by errors.

Mastering these basic but vital aspects of grammar elevates the quality of your written work.

Consistent practice and a clear understanding of the rules are the pathways to linguistic accuracy.

This attention to detail contributes significantly to the overall impact of your message.

Review and Reinforcement

To solidify understanding, it is beneficial to review the core principle: the verb agrees with the subject that follows the expletive “there.”

Singular subjects require “has been,” while plural subjects require “have been.”

Uncountable nouns are always singular and take “has been.”

Self-Correction Strategies

When writing or editing, pause to identify the subject of sentences beginning with “there.”

If the subject is singular, use “has been.” If it is plural, use “have been.”

Pay special attention to compound subjects and intervening prepositional phrases.

Regularly consulting grammar resources can reinforce correct usage.

The more you practice, the more intuitive correct agreement will become.